Westfield second baseman Sydney Ezold makes the out on Agawam’s Mary Reidy during the 10th inning. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
AMHERST – A multi-star epic played out on the softball diamond Tuesday in Amherst.
It was a real tearjerker though for the Whip City representative as top-seeded Westfield fell to fourth-seeded Agawam 3-0 in a 12-inning heartbreaker. Brownies catcher Rielly Wieners hit a bases-clearing, 3-run double to sink the Bombers in the Western Massachusetts Division I tournament semifinal at UMass-Amherst’s Sortini Field.
Both pitchers – Westfield junior stalwart Sarah McNerney (8 Ks) and Agawam freshman sensation Allison Wheeler (7 Ks) – dominated at times, and got out of numerous jams to keep the game scoreless throughout.
“Sarah pitched an unbelievable game – gutsy,” Westfield coach Joe Stella said. “They were making adjustments; we were making adjustments.”
Westfield (19-2) had the game’s first baserunner when Jules Sharon (in a return from a brief absence due to health issues) hit a first-pitch single. She would be the first of 10 Bombers left stranded on base.
Westfield had two golden opportunities to plate the game’s first run.
Lexi Minicucci (3-for-5) and Syd Ezold hit consecutive singles to lead off the fifth for Westfield. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, but were left at second and third following a strikeout, flyout, and ground out to end the threat.
Minicucci also hit a ringing one-out double to deep left-center field in the seventh, only to be left there.
In the 10th, Westfield loaded the bases by reaching on an error, another Sharon single (this time with one out), and a fielder’s choice. Agawam responded with spectacular defense. Brownies’ third baseman Faith Rheault fielded Maddy Atkocaitis’s high-hopper and threw to home for a forceout at the plate. Then, second baseman Taylor Marcotte stretched out laterally to snare Katelyn Puza’s sharp-hit ball for the final out of the inning.
“There were several opportunities that we just couldn’t capitalize on,” coach Stella said. “We had our chances.”
Agawam, too, squandered many chances, leaving 11 runners on base through the first 11 innings. The Brownies were also tossed out trying to stretch a lead-off single into a two-bagger in the fifth (Atkocaitis gunned Mary Reidy down at second base), and picked off at first.
In the 12th, Agawam’s Danielle Stratton beat out a soft-hit single, Rheault dropped a blooper in between the outfielders in right-center field, and Paige Circosta reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Wieners stepped up and delivered, driving a well-hit ball – the game-winner – to the deep right-center field wall. The double cleared the bases, and sent the Brownies to the title game.
“I think our defense shone except for that miscue in the outfield,” Stella said. “There were some plays that were unbelievable.”
Westfield played errorless ball. A big part of that was second baseman Syd Ezold, who had a hand in six of the defensive putouts.
“I’m disappointed but so proud,” Stella said. “No one can take 20 wins away from us.”
Agawam advances with a record of 16-6.
