Goyette Pitches McCann Past Lee
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – For the 2016 edition of the Lee High softball team, the journey came to an end on Thursday.
For the McCann Tech Hornets, the end of the line comes on Friday.
But for the players from both teams, it was definitely a trip worth taking.
“Our bus will be loud on the way home,” Wildcats coach Lauren Finnegan said after the season finale, a 6-1 loss at McCann.
She and Hornets coach Robin Finnegan, no relation, were of one mind when talking about the kind of seasons their teams had. Neither Lee (8-12) nor McCann (8-11) will see that season extended when the MIAA releases the Western Massachusetts playoff brackets on Tuesday.
“You know what? Yeah, we’re not going to Western Mass, but it is what it is,” Robin Finnegan said. “As long as we can improve for next year and have the seniors go out on a successful note tomorrow, I’m happy.
“We’re not going to Olympics. … We’re teaching life skills, life experiences, commitment.
“And perseverance,” Lauren Finnegan added.
“We’re not here for the money,” Robin Finnegan joked. “You can quote me on that.”
McCann freshman Megan Goyette was money on Thursday.
Coming back from an emotional complete-game loss on Wednesday to Easthampton, Goyette allowed just two hits and struck out five while allowing no earned runs in a complete game win on Thursday.
Her offense gave her an early lead with an unearned run off Kendra Williams in the bottom of the first.
Brittany Tassone led off the inning with a base hit and went to third when Cheyanne Alcombright reached on a two-base error. When the Hornets attempted a delayed double steal, Lee sniffed it out, and shortstop Amy Goss took the throw from Shannon Finnegan and fired it back home to erase Tassone.
Alcombright moved up on a wild pitch and came home on an Alanza Quinones ground ball to make it 1-0.
The big inning for McCann came in the third, when it took advantage of three Lee errors and sacrifice bunts by Alcombright and Samantha Dolle to build a 4-0 lead.
“Four games this week,” Lee’s Lauren Finnegan said. “She had a tough game last night against a D2 school. We went up and played Taconic last night, Wahconah this week and Mount Everett. I think we’re physically and mentally drained right now.
“The bottom line is we want these girls to enjoy it. We want them to have fun.”
Lee answered McCann’s big third inning with a run in the fourth. Williams reached on a three-base error and scored on Courtney Picard’s sac fly to make it 4-1.
The Hornets added single runs in the fourth and fifth. Tassone drove home Julia Esoldi to make it 5-1; Quinones doubled and scored on Michaela Malloy’s double for the game’s final run.
Williams finished with a strikeout and three walks and just three earned runs allowed.
McCann finishes its season with Senior Day against Sabis on Friday.
More photos of this game here.