Westfield’s Maddy Atkocaitis, rear, beats the tag of a Pittsfield catcher. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – It may be the postseason, but for the Westfield High School softball team it was business as usual.
Top-seeded Westfield (21-0) defeated pesky Pittsfield, the tournament’s eighth seed, 6-2, to Saturday in the Western Massachusetts Division I quarterfinals.
The Bombers received a solid effort from senior pitcher Sarah McNerney (6 Ks, 0 BBs), and timely hitting from several others.
Westfield’s Jesse Pratt had a key RBI double and scored a run in a four-run, fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Bombers’ Maddy Atkocaitis went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. No. 9 batter, Vicky Camp was also 2-for-3, and scored two runs.
Kaitlyn Puza (RBI), Lexi Minicucci (walk), Karly Mastello (walk, RBI), Rachel Swords (walk, run), and Maddy Brockney (hit) also delivered for Westfield.
Earlier in the season, Westfield clobbered Pittsfield 15-3. It wasn’t so easy the second time around.
“Pittsfield is a tough team,” said Westfield coach Joe Stella. (That first game) was early in the season. I knew they would be much better, and they gave us a good game.”
Westfield advances to play No. 4 Minnechaug (15-6) in the semifinals Thursday at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
Gators advance
BASEBALL
D3 OPENING ROUND
No. 2 Gateway 4, No. 15 McCann Tech 2
HUNTINGTON – Gateway (13-8) resumed a Division 3 baseball tournament game, which was suspended Friday in the third inning due to storms. The Gators advanced.
Freshman pitcher Brett Turbin pitched a complete game, striking out six batters, walking none, and allowing no earned runs (two were unearned).
“Brett was great in the beginning of the game, and at the end of the game when we needed it,” Gateway coach Gary St. Peter said. “He had nerves of steal. I can’t say enough about the way he performed.”
Justin Edinger belted a two-out, two-run double, Geoffrey Sobotka went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Johnny Haskel had a stolen base, run scored, and an RBI.
Westfield No. 1 singles Chris Unger eyes the ball during Saturday’s match against Northampton’s Dan March. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
BOYS’ TENNIS
D1 QUARTERFINALS
No. 6 Northampton 4, No. 3 Westfield 1
WESTFIELD – Westfield’s top singles player, Chris Unger won the lone team match with a 6-3, 7-6, (7-1) win over Northampton’s Dan March.
First doubles’ pair, Tristan Viale and Rob Bernadara, and second doubles’ pair, Casey Mackenzie and Alec Best, both lost hard-fought, three set matches, 6-2, 7-6, (7-5) and 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, respectively.
“We were in the match all the way to the end,” Westfield coach John Morizio said. “It was a great season for the boys.”
It was the only loss of the year for Westfield, which put together an undefeated regular season (14-0).
