SOUTHWICK – The Southwick-Tolland Regional High School softball team outslugged Wahconah in the Western Massachusetts Division 2 semifinals 12-hits-to-five. Six costly errors and timely hits from the Warriors befell the Rams though in a 6-5 loss Thursday at UMass-Amherst.
It was a highly competitive, action-packed affair.
Both teams threatened in each half of every inning from the outset, until No. 2 Southwick (19-3) finally cracked the goose eggs on the scoreboard with a two-spot in the bottom of the third inning.
Jenn Yelin got things started for Southwick in the third with a one-out single. Katelyn Sylvia followed with a booming RBI triple to deep right center field. Victoria Della Giustina hit a sac-RBI for a 2-0 advantage.
The lead was short-lived.
The Rams watch the action from the dugout. (Photo by Chris Putz)
In the top of the fourth, an RBI triple from Juliane McBain, an RBI walk from Jamie Downer, and Chloe Warren’s two-run single – Warren ripped a liner to left field – allowed Wahconah to go up 4-2. Two Southwick errors helped extend the inning and fuel the third-seeded Warriors’ final two runs (both unearned).
Wahconah (19-3) padded its lead in the fifth inning with two more unearned runs.
Southwick scraped back one run in the bottom of the sixth. Alyssa Kelleher hit a two-out single, and was pinch run for by Makenzie Sullivan. Sullivan stole second base, and scored on Brittany Penland’s RBI single to center field.
Southwick rallied for two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but fell a run short of a tie.
Sam Burzynski reached on a lead-off error. Jenn Yelin singled. Southwick pulled within two runs of a tie, 6-4, on a fielder’s choice. Della Giustina singled. The Rams rallied to within one run on a fielder’s choice.
Southwick catcher Alyssa Kelleher tags out a Wahconah base runner for the third out in the top of the second inning Thursday at UMASS. Rams’ pitcher Emily Lachtara stands at left. (Photo by Chris Putz)
The game ended when Southwick’s lead base runner was thrown out at second attempting to get into scoring position with two outs.
“Too many errors,” Southwick coach Todd Downie said. “Twelve hits is a lot of hits. (Southwick) had a good season. They’re not used to playing from behind. They definitely showed character … I thought we were ready for it. It was a disappointing end.”
