St. Mary’s Jessica Demers takes on Renaissance’s Sarah Cannomela Thursday. (Submitted photo)
WESTFIELD – The Saint Mary High School girls’ tennis team is slowly brewing a winner.
St. Mary took Thursday’s match down to the wire with Renaissance before narrowly losing, 3-2, as Saint’s Ashley Forest played a seven-point tiebreaker to split sets with Renaissance’s Brianna Henry. The two players played a 10-point tiebreaker to determine the winner of the match with Henry prevailing, 3-6, 8-6, (10-4).
Jessica Demers won in her second match back from injury, defeating Renaissance’s Nicol Schabot, 6-2, 6-2. Demers kept her opponent pinned to the baseline throughout most of the match with precision lobs and long forehand shots.
St. Mary’s Jessica Crosby won in straight sets over Renaissance’s Sarah Cannomela, 6-0, 6-0. Crosby kept her opponent on the run with blistering cross-court backhands, and sharp crisp forehands.
Jessica Demers competes for the Saints Thursday against Renaissance, of Springfield. (Submitted photo)
For Crosby, it was her seventh straight win of the season.
On Wednesday, Crosby rallied from a 3-6 loss to Frontier’s Morgan Farrick in the first set – only the second time she lost a set all season – to win the second set with stunningly strong crosscourt backhands and impressive net play before going on to win a decisive 10-point tiebreaker, 10-7.
The Saints lost that battle as a team, 4-1.
“We are still building and improving as we progress through the season,” St. Mary coach Frank Crosby said. “I am happy with their style of play.”
Renaissance won at first and second doubles.
BOYS’ TENNIS
Saints snare victory
St. Mary 3, Renaissance 2
St. Mary’s Jared Rusin shut out Miguel Gonzal, 6-0, 6-0, and the Saints swept doubles play to pick up their first win of the season.
St. Mary’s Joe Wilcox and Aaron Kielbasa overwhelmed Colin Sasen and Tony Martinez, 6-0, 6-1. Saints’ Ben Richter and Nick Gregoire won by forfeit.
“St. Mary’s fine all-around performance was rewarded with team victory No. 1,” Saints’ coach George Hart said.
BASEBALL
A victory in more ways than one
Westfield Technical Academy 2, Sci-Tech 1
Westfield Tech won on a walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning as Brandon DeGray scored the winning run from third base against Sci-Tech in the Alzheimer’s Awareness game at Bullens Field.
DeGray reached base with a walk to begin the seventh. Cody Garwacki beat out a bunt with help of a bobble at first base. Tanner Haley bunted the base runners over. Then the wild pitch occurred.
Andy Daniels had a hit and RBI for Westfield Tech. Tigers’ Alex Sparks and freshman Connor Medieros also had hits. For Medieros, it was his first as a varsity player.
Nick Clegg was dominant on the mound for Westfield Tech, recording 14 strikeouts for the second straight time. He allowed one hit, one walk, and one run.
“It was a good chance for us to play small ball and push across a run,” Westfield Tech coach Bob Eak said. “Our players executed perfectly.”
Westfield Tech raised more than $2,000 with its Alzheimer’s Awareness push.
Said Eak: “I’m very happy to get the win on such an important day for us.”
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Lancers top Bombers
Longmeadow 13, Westfield 9
Noah Skole (5 goals, 1 assist), Kristopher Campbell (3 goals, 4 assists), and Spencer Robbins (3 goals, 2 assists) combined to lift Longmeadow past host Westfield.
Zach Gentle led Westfield with three goals and two assists.
Smith paces Saints
Granby 12, St. Mary 6
Doug Labbee (3 goals, 4 assists) and Drew Wiesel (4 goals, 1 assist) led the Granby attack. Padraig Smith netted a hat trick for St. Mary, and three other Saints had two points apiece (Aaron Blanchard, 2 goals; Sam LaBombard, 1 goal, 1 assist; Ed Towers, 2 assists).
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Westfield 25, Belchertown 9
Kiele Bryant (6 goals, 1 assist) and Hannah Jarvis (3 goals, 4 assists) netted seven points apiece in Westfield’s rout. Bombers’ Kylie Buchanan (4 goals, 2 assists) and Olivia Chaoush (5 goals, 1 assist) were solid offensively, as well.
Westfield goalies Liz Clark (6 saves) and Yvonne Headley (4) combined for 10 saves.
Sarnacki soars past Saints
Granby 24, St. Mary 3
Kate Sarnacki had a hand in 14 of her team’s 24 goals, scoring seven and assisting on seven others. Jessica Patruno finished with six goals and one assist.
Casey Rutledge, Laura Brodkin, and Anna Kosinski each scored a goal for St. Mary.
SOFTBALL
Slack homers in Tigers’ win
Westfield Technical Academy 15, Pathfinder 12
Westfield Tech’s Cheyenne Slack blasted a home run, and helped turn two double plays; Taya Allen belted a two-run double; and, pitcher Hannah Massoni (2 Ks) earned a complete game victory.
Lachtara, Rams breeze to victory
Southwick-Tolland 14, Sabis 1 (5 inn.)
Emily Lachtara struck out six batters in a mercy-shortened win for Southwick.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
O’s top Rams
Belchertown def. Southwick 25-17, 24-26, 26-24, 25-13
Nick Chambers (14 kills, 1 block, 1 ace), Nolan Winch (11 kills), and Andrew Lachtara (27 assists) led Southwick.
JV SOFTBALL UPDATE: Allie Methe (double), Jillian Gentile, and Kayla Andrade racked up three hits apiece for Southwick in their latest contest. Rams’ Cydney Gorman, Gigi Gurney, and Sarah Hough each finished with two hits; McKinley White, Lesley Mceorison, and Sarah Smith each singled; and Devan Fox had two sacrifice bunts.
Hough struck out five batters on the mound; Gentile had three.
JV BASEBALL
Southwick 6, Monson 4 (8 inn.)
Southwick pitcher Nick Ensign struck out eight batters over eight innings, yielding just three earned runs. Matt Tullo and Frank Wyglarz each had two hits for the Rams.
