Hoosac Finishes Regular Season on a High Note
LENOX, Mass. -- If there is a good way to head into the postseason, the Hoosac Valley softball team has to be satisfied with the way it played in a 16-1 win at Lenox on Thursday.The Hurricanes (14-6) closed out the regular season by winning their third straight game, smacking 22 hits and playing error-free softball in a game shortened to just six innings due to the mercy rule. Morgan Shafer's squad scored a run in five out of the six innings in the game, breaking the contest open with four runs in the fourth frame and five more in the fifth to open a 14-1 lead.
"We are looking forward to the Western Mass. tournament," Shafer said. "We are going to focus all our energy on preparing for it, and we plan on going out there to play hard and work as a team."
Nine different Hoosac batters collected at least two hits in the game, led by junior Kasey Puppolo and senior Samantha Howe, who each finished with three. Howe had a double, an RBI and scored four runs, while senior Karli Schrade added a double and two runs batted in. Junior Tanelle Ciempa chipped in with a two doubles and two RBI.
Sophomore Ashley Ciepiela pitched the first three innings of the game, allowing just two hits and one walk to improve her season record to 4-0. Freshman Caroline Tomkowicz was impressive in relief as well, holding the Millionaires hitless and fanning four Lenox batters over the final three frames.
The Hurricanes will now have to wait until Tuesday night, when the seedings for the Division 2 Western Mass. tournament will be released.