Granby Tops McCann

NORTH ADAMS -- The biggest hit of the spring on Joe Wolfe Field was the two-run home run off the bat of Granby High School's Travis Padgett on Friday against McCann Tech.

The most significant hits of Friday afternoon's game were the three hit-batters that fueled a seven-run first inning for the Rams on their way to a 16-3 win over the Hornets.

Padgett's second-inning round-tripper over the fence in left-center was the offensive highlight, but it merely extended an insurmountable lead for Granby (13-5).

The real damage came in the first, when three of the Rams' first four batters -- including Padgett -- were hit by pitches. Two McCann errors factored in to allow the Rams to score seven runs on just three hits before the Hornets (8-10) took a turn at bat.

McCann Schneider battled through a tough start to allow just seven more hits and a total of nine earned runs before departing with one out in the fifth inning.

"He's our No. 2 going into today after he pitched a phenomenal game for us the last time out," McCann coach Pat Ryan said. "And he came into today with a great attitude, a positive atttitude. And I try to teach my kids: No matter what happens, stay up.

"And he did that today. He didn't let the worst get the best of him."

The Hornets did not do Schneider too many favors on defense, accumulating five errors, including the two that led to four unearned runs in the first.

Ryan said poor starts have been a problem for McCann this spring.

"I guess when it rains it pours," he said. "We've had a couple of games this year when we dug ourselves into holes early, and this was one of them. We try our best to fight our way back, and it was just too much."

McCann got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third by batting around. John LeClair got things started with a leadoff double, and Sean Davis, T.J. Therrien and Justin Racine added an RBI single apiece in the rally.

LeClair ended up leading McCann's offense with a 2-for-2 day at the plate and a run scored.

But after the Hornets got back within 10-3, Granby picked up five insurance runs in the fifth to put the game away.

Nathan Biron came on in relief of Schneider. Biron allowed three hits and one earned run in 2-2/3 innings.

McCann travels to Pathfinder on Tuesday and hosts Mount Everett on Wednesday. Ryan said he is confident his team can win out and qualify for the Western Massachusetts tournament.

"I think we can do it," he said. "We beat Pathfinder the first time, and we beat Mount Everett the first time. I think if we come and play the game we're capable of playing, we definitely have a shot at doing it."