Pittsfield Softball Reaches State Final Four

PITTSFIELD , Mass. — Bella MacDonald and Amanda Pou led the way to the Division 4 Final Four for the Pittsfield Generals.

 

On Friday afternoon, the Generals faced off against the Uxbridge Spartans in an Elite 8 Contest.

 

Uxbridge came into this game with a 20-2 record while the Generals came in 20-3.

 

Uxbridge star pitcher Erin O’Day had a strong outing, striking out eight while walking four.

 

Pittsfield’s Pou struck out seven and walked three.

 

“I feel like I really need to mentally prepare,” Pou said when asked about taking the next step toward a potential state title.

 

“I have a defense where I know if I walk them they will make the plays for me, so I trust them a lot.”

 

Pou pitched 85% of the Generals games this season accounting for 12 of their wins.

 

With Pou and O’Day dealing on Friday, the teams combined for just five hits.

 

A key moment to this game occurred in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Isabella MacDonald hit a bloop to first base with the bases loaded.

 

The first baseman from Uxbridge dropped the ball, sending MacDonald to second and allowing two runs to score to make it 3-2, Pittsfield and mark the beginning of the end for the Spartans.

 

In the next at-bat, a single wild pitch allowed Pou and MacDonald to score to make it a three-run PHS lead.

 

Pittsfield’s bunt ability from Mia Arpante and Amanda Pou gave the Generals hope.

 

Arpante bunted her way aboard in the fifth inning rally, and Pou followed with a bunt that resulted in an Uxbridge error to load the bases.

 

A leadoff double by Pou in the fourth inning helped lead to the Generals’ first run of the game. She eventually came home on a passed ball to make it 2-1.

 

Pittsfield coach Brian MacDonald was proud to say in his first two seasons coaching the Generals the team has made it to the semi-finals.

 

“We struggled to catch up to this pitcher, but once we got the timing down, we’re a hitting team, and we were going to come back and get her,” MacDonald said.

 

After an emotional ending to their Elite 8 game the Generals’ seniors will now celebrate their graduation on Sunday before their Final Four game next week. 

 

Pittsfield will have to face either South Hadley (13-7) or Tyngsborough (18-2), who meet on Sunday afternoon, in the Division 4 Semi-Finals.