Kelley, Mounties Top Taconic
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- A big inning for the Mount Greylock softball team's offense paid big dividends for its pitcher on Thursday afternoon.
After her teammates scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Mounties sophomore Fiona Kelley cruised to a 5-1 win over Taconic.
"Having a lead definitely has a positive effect, but even when we're down, you know you can't give up, you've got to keep going," Kelley said. "But definitely having the lead and having the support from my team really helps."
Miranda Voller got the offense going with a leadoff home run to center field that tied the game 1-1.
Then an error helped spark a rally that hung four unearned runs on Taconic's Ashley Keegan, who allowed seven hits but struck out 11 in six innings of work.
After Hailey Guest reached on the two-base error, Kelley struck out. But Desiree Dufur followed with a single to right field to bring home Guest for the go-ahead run.
A fly ball that should have ended the inning (but for Guest's at-bat) was followed by Kayla Cerveira's triple to left-center. Cerveira came home behind Dufur on a throwing error to make it 4-1.
Elena Cervera then reached on an infield single, stole second and took third and home on wild pitches for the game's final run before Keegan got a called third strike to end the inning.
From there, Kelley held Taconic in check, not allowing a runner past first until the top of the seventh, when an error and a single by Jillian Campbell gave the visitors first and second with nobody out.
But Kayla Cerveira fielded a line drive in left, Dana Clement grabbed a fly ball at second and Elena Cerveira fielded a ground ball to end the threat.
Kelley ended up with eight strikeouts against six hits, and she stranded nine base-runners, leaving the bases loaded in the third.
The lone Taconic run came in the first, when back-to-back walks put Campbell at second, and a wild pitch and Keegan single to center sent Campbell home.
Mount Greylock coach June Blake was happy with what she saw from Kelley.
"I feel like she did a good job hitting her spots," Blake said. "We mixed up some pitches, and I felt she did a better job after the first three innings with that -- hitting spots with certain pitches. She was consistent on the mound."
The Mounties (3-2) will be looking for more consistency after snapping a two-game losing streak that included a 3-2 loss to rival Drury earlier in the week.
"Going into the game, after Drury, knowing that we can't assume anything, we were all together," Kelley said. "It was a hard game [Tuesday]. And we had to pick up our heads and go into this strong."
Mount Greylock goes out of league play on Friday to face Monson on the road. Taconic (0-3) hosts Wahconah on Monday.