Rams’ freshman ace Emily Lachtara fires in a pitch Thursday. (Photo by Chris Putz)
EASTHAMPTON – The Southwick-Tolland Regional High School softball team appears to be in a big hurry to advance through the Western Massachusetts Division 2 tournament.
No. 5 Southwick pounced on fourth-seeded Easthampton for four runs in the top of the first inning of the tourney quarterfinals and cruised to a 7-3 win Thursday at Nonotuck Park.
Southwick’s Sydney Rogers, who got things started with a first-inning triple, homered in the fifth and finished with two runs and an RBI. Sam Burzynski, who plated Rogers in the first with one of her two doubles, also had a run scored.
Southwick-Tolland Regional High School lead-off batter Sydney Rogers (10) scores on a Sam Burzynski double in the top of the first inning against Easthampton in a Western Massachusetts Division 2 softball quarterfinal game Thursday at Nonotuck Park. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Steph Devine (3-for-3, double, 2 runs), Morgan Harriman (2-for-4, RBI, run), and Kate Sylvia (single, run) also contributed to Southwick’s offensive attack.
“It’s a good thing we came out hitting. None of those hits were cheap – they were all legitimate hits,” Southwick coach Todd Downie said. “It helped everybody relax.”
Southwick freshman ace Emily Lachtara settled in rather quickly.
The Rams top flame thrower mowed down nearly a dozen Easthampton batters (9 Ks), walked none, scattered six hits and allowed three earned runs.
The tournament will now shift to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst for the semifinal round where Southwick (17-4) will meet top-seeded Hampshire (17-3), who earned a bye in the quarterfinals. The game will be played June 3.
