Hoosac Softball Runs Past Greenfield in Tourney Opener
ADAMS, Mass. -- Aggressive base-running from eighth-grader Maddie Caron and junior Sienna Witherell gave the No. 5 Hoosac Valley softball team a 3-2 win over No. 12 Greenfield Wednesday afternoon at Russell Field in the first round of the Division 3 Western Massachusetts Softball Tournament.
After the top of the sixth inning the Hurricanes trailed Greenfield 2-1. They were looking to stay alive to advance to round two and it started with a base hit from Erin Girard in the top of the inning.
Caron stepped in to pinch run for Girard; a bunt from Haley Adelt advanced Caron to second and it was a hit from Witherell that tied the game at two.
A Greenfield error sent Witherell to second base and Caron was able to come home to make it 2-2.
The next batter for the Hurricanes, Abby Jamros, struck out and Witherell stole third; Greenfield attempted to throw her out, but overthrew, giving Witherell the opportinuty to make it home and take the lead.
"We made them make the play," Hoosac Valley coach Mike Ameen said. "We got on base, Erin Girard came up and got a base hit and we had an eighth grader come in pinch run for her and she made something happen."
"Same thing happened with Sienna, she was on second base and they said strike three and I looked at her and I knew she was going to try and steal third; we forced them to make the play and we got lucky and they didn't make it. We did a nice job."
Greenfield took the lead in the first inning with a run from leadoff hitter Raegan Hickey, but the Hurricanes answered in the bottom of the inning from Kali Puppolo who scored on a hit from Girard to leave it tied at one until the top of the fourth inning.
The Hurricanes had a 1-2-3 inning in the third. Puppolo allowed two on base in the top of the fourth; Sam Smith had an RBI double for Greenfield bringing home Kelsey Roberts to take a 2-1 lead.
The next three innings, Hoosac allowed no one on base and Puppolo struck out three and totaled nine for the day.
"Kali threw well, she had a lot of poise on the mound and she was determined," Ameen said. "I haven't seen that amount of intensity in her the whole season, she stepped it up a notch and she wanted the game."
"We also made some nice plays behind her, a couple outfield catches, Megan Goyette with that line drive in the seventh; she bobbled and picked it up and got the out," he continued. "Our defense backed her up and she threw really well."
Greenfield pitcher Kristen Ward pitched six innings and struck out six.
"Greenfield did a nice job, they shut us down when they needed to." Ameen said. "It was a close game all the way and this team is a quality team, they were the 12 seed, but I haven't seen many teams better than them; their pitcher threw strikes and kept us off balance and struck us out when they needed it."
Hoosac advances to round two and will play the winner of No. 4 Renaissance and No. 13 Mohawk.