Kelly, DiNicola Lead Mounties into Quarters
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- The Mount Greylock softball team pounded out eight hits in a seven-run fifth inning on the way to a 10-0 win over Putnan on Wednesday in the first round of the Western Mass Division 3 Tournament.
The seventh-seeded Mounties (11-10) had a 2-0 lead heading to the fifth, and that appeared to be all they would need behind the pitching of Fiona Kelly and some stellar defense.
But in that fifth, the doors came off for Putnam starter Elicia Vazquez, who gave up doubles by Kayla Ceveira and Kelly in the seven-run rally.
Mount Greylock scored its first - and winning - run in the first inning off back-to-back triples by Olivia DiNicola and Miranda Voller.
DiNicola took a one-out, 1-0 offering and drove it over the left fielder's head. Voller followed with a shot to the right-center gap to make it 1-0.
That is where it stood until the foruth, when Grace Dodig doubled to left and came home on Dana Clement's single.
Then came the fifth, when 11 Mounties came to the plate. DiNicola got it started with an infield single, and in addition to the doubles by Ceveira and Kelly, Mount Greylock got singles from Rachel Voller, Dodig, Clement, Elena Ceveira and DiNicola again.
DiNicola finished the game 3-for-4 with a triple and and RBI.
She also made one of those big plays in the field.
In the top of the sixth, after Kelly allowed just the second it of the day for Putnam (15-6), DiNicola caught the runner trying to steal second with a strike to shortstop Elena Ceveira.
Kelly also benefited from a couple of big plays by Rachel Voller in center field. She came in to scoop a fly ball for the first out of th second and ranged well to her left to snag a line drive for the third out in the fourth.
The Mounties tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when Rachel Voller (2-for-3, stolen base) doubled, moved up on a groundout and scored on Desiree Dufur's single to left.
Kelly finished with seven strikeouts against two hits and one walk.
Mount Greylock moves on to face second-seeded Turners Falls, a 23-0 winner over Pathfinder on Wednesday, on a day to be announced.