Hoosac Tops Mount Greylock in Nine Innings

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- On Tuesday, the Mount Greylock softball team defeated Hoosac Valley in Adams, 7-3. On Friday afternoon, the Hurricanes had an opportunity to visit the Mounties on their home turf and take away a win.

 

They did, but it was one that didn't come easy. It wasn't until the ninth inning that the Hurricanes were able to walk away with a 8-7 win.

 

Hoosac got an early lead, going up 2-1 after the first inning and then adding three more after the second with an RBI double for Kali Puppolo followed by and two-run single for Alyssa Pause.

 

"To start off the game and get behind 5-0 we kind of had to dig ourselves out of a hole," Greylock coach June Blake said. "And we did that in the fifth inning."

 

With one out in the fifth, Hoosac pitcher Puppolo walked Miranda Voller; Hailey Guest got a hit, putting runners on first and second. Fiona Kelly connected with the ball, and Voller made it home on an error from the Hurricanes.

 

Desiree Dufur then followed up with a two-run hit bringing in Guest and Kelly to tie the score at 5-5, where it remained until the top of the ninth inning.

 

"We misplayed a couple ground balls and gave them extra outs," Hoosac coach Mike Ameen said. "When you give teams extra outs, they're going to take advantage of it and that's what happened."

 

In the top of the ninth, Puppolo drew a walk, putting one runner on base, Pause then stepped up to the plate and placed a bunt to the left side that was overthrown to first base, giving Puppolo the opportunity to go home.

 

Greylock pitcher Fiona Kelly then walked Erin Girard, putting one runner on first and second; Pause made it home on an error going ahead 7-5, but Sienna Witherall hit an RBI triple, putting Hoosac ahead 8-5.

 

"I told them to stay positive and hold their heads high and keep playing," Ameen said. "They kept battling and didn't back down."

 

But neither did the Mounties who came out in the bottom of the inning and had and RBI from Rachel Voller and then a stolen base from Miranda Voller to put the score at 8-7.

 

Guest got up to the plate and hit a pop fly giving Hoosac their second out, but it was then followed by a groundout, sealing the victory for the Hurricanes.

 

"We never went away, we just kept battling," Blake said. "It's tough playing extra innings and I just said ladies, let's make this interesting; we got our base runners on and we scored and got those runs in."

 

Kelly pitched all nine innings for Greylock, striking out seven. Puppolo pitched all nine for Hoosac, striking out six.

 

Greylock travels to Pittsfield Tuesday afternoon and Hoosac hosts Lee, both 4 p.m. starts.