Drury Softball Draws Hoosac In First Round
GREENFIELD, Mass. — The Drury and Hoosac Valley softball teams won't have to wait long to meet up in the Division 2 Western Mass. tournament. The Blue Devils drew the No. 8 seed when the brackets were released on Tuesday and will host the No. 9 Hurricanes at 4 p.m. on Thursday.All three North County softball teams are situated on the left side of the bracket, with Mount Greylock (15-5) earning the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye. The Mounties, who won six of their final seven games to end the season, will play the winner of Thursday's first-round matchup between No. 5 Wahconah and No. 12 Athol. The Warriors (13-7) beat Greylock 12-5 at home the end of April, but June Blake's squad recently returned the favor with a 3-2 win in Williamstown in the final game of the regular season.
Drury (12-6) and Hoosac (11-9) have also split their two meetings this season. The Blue Devils earned a 2-0 win at Francis Millard Field on April 16, but the Hurricanes protected their home turf with a 5-1 win at Russell Field a month later. It's been a hold-and-cold season for both of the North County rivals. Drury started the season strong, winning nine out of its first 10 games. Mary Ann Maroni's club then dropped four straight before closing out the year by winning three out of its final four games.
Hoosac traveled a different road to the tournament, starting with six straight losses to open the season. Morgan Shafer's squad then won seven out of its next eight games before a two-game skid left the 'Canes scrambling to make the playoffs. Hoosac responded with wins over Lee and Monument Mountain to even its record at 9-9, though, and picked up two more victories in the final week when Lenox forfeited a scheduled doubleheader.
The winner of the Drury-Hoosac matchup will face a tough out in the next round. No. 1 Palmer will be waiting at home with its 19-1 record in hand, with the quarterfinal matchup taking place at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
In other action around the county, North Division champion Pittsfield (16-4) drew the No. 8 seed in Division 1 field and will host No. 9 Northampton in the first round at 4 p.m. on Thursday. Mount Everett and Saint Joseph's both made the Division 3 field. The Eagles (16-4) are seeded second and earned a bye into the quarterfinals. They will host the winner between No. 7 Pathfinder and No. 10 Westfield Voc.
The Crusaders (14-6) are seeded fifth and open at fourth-seeded Ware in tournament quarterfinals scheduled for 4 p.m. on Thursday.