Blowout Win Clinches Playoff Spot for Hurricanes
CHESHIRE, Mass. -- The Hoosac Valley baseball team broke into the Western Mass. playoffs in a big way on Monday, collecting its 10th win of the season with a dominating 23-6 win over Lee.Senior captain Nate Alibozek led 21-hit attack for the Hurricanes (10-6), going 5 for 6 with seven RBI and four runs scored. With his big day, Alibozek tied classmate Aaron Solari with the team lead in runs batted in with 15 this season. Alibozek hit a triple and was one of five Hoosac players to finish with a double on the day. Senior Zach Larabee chipped in by going 3 for 6 with two RBI and three runs scored, while junior Zach Lancia was also stead at the plate, going 3 for 4 with one RBI and four runs scored.
Junior Tanner Bird collected the win for Bob Rivard's club despite allowing a five-run second inning. He settled in after that, however, and held the Wildcats scoreless over the next two frames. Bird finished with two strikeouts and three walks on his way to earning his first win on the mound this season.
The Hurricanes trailed 5-0 after the top of the second but quickly rallied with seven-run frame of their own. They added four more runs in the fifth inning and crossed the plate 11 times in the sixth to put the game away for good and clinch another postseason appearance under Rivard's watch.
Junior Zac Brassard and senior Nick Burzimati combined to allow just one run over the final three innings of relief for Hoosac, which next plays at Lenox at 4 p.m. on Thursday.