The third time was not the charm for the Westfield Vocational-Technical High School softball team.
Seventh-seeded Pathfinder swept No. 10 Westfield Voc-Tech in a Western Massachusetts Division 3 first round tournament game yesterday, defeating the Tigers 13-1 in a mercy-shortened, six-inning affair in Palmer. The Pioneers won the regular season meetings by the scores of 16-0 and 6-5.
Pathfinder (16-5) strung together some successful at-bats, took advantage of Voc-Tech’s defensive mistakes, and owned the mound as Pioneers pitcher Jenna Maska (11 Ks) silenced the Tigers.
Voc-Tech (9-10) scored its only run in the top of the fourth when Kisha Rivera singled, stole second base, advanced to third on a ground out, and crossed home plate on a wild pitch. The Tigers trailed 6-1.
Pathfinder tacked on two runs in the fourth, and sealed the victory in the fifth with Maska’s 2-run triple. The Pioneers scored their 13th run, good for a 12-run lead in the sixth on a ground out RBI.
“Things just didn’t go our way today,” Westfield Voc-Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “We made a lot of errors, didn’t put the bat on the ball like we normally do, and Jenna threw well.”
“We definitely needed to have our ‘A’ game, and we didn’t.”
Voc-Tech had a nice defensive play in the third inning when left fielder Felicia Ortona caught a fly out and doubled up a baserunner at third with a throw to Allyssa Bonk with the bases loaded to end the threat.
In other games, No. 10 Southwick-Tolland Regional (10-11) lost to seventh-seeded South Hadley, 2-0. The Terriers improved to 8-13. No game report was provided.
