Taconic's Sherman, Lee's Joyce Earn Athlete of the Week

A dominant pitcher and a powerful hitter are this week's iBerkshires.com/Southwestern Vermont Health Care Athletes of the Week.

 

Taconic hurler Sam Sherman picked up where he left off in 2021.

 

After striking out five batters for every batter he walked and limiting opponents to .910 earned runs per appearance in a state championship run last year, Sherman is yet to allow any earned runs this spring.

 

On Wednesday at Pope Francis, he was masterful, striking out 12 and allowing just one hit in a complete-game, 1-0, win over the Cardinals.

 

He is yet to allow a walk this season and has 13 strikeouts through eight innings on the mound.

 

The Merrimack College commit also is hitting .286 with a couple of stolen bases and a .583 on-base percentage.

 

Wednesday's first start of the season for Sherman helped Taconic (2-1) to a bounceback victory in the rugged Valley West league. This week, it plays its first home league game on Thursday against West Springfield -- one of four games in a stretch that starts at Holyoke on Monday afternoon.

 

The Lee softball team plays three times this week -- three chances to improve on one of the county's hottest starts as the Wildcats ran their record to 5-0 on Friday.

 

Kylie Joyce has been the driving force in an offense that has scored more than 14 runs per game in that stretch.

 

She has a .632 batting average, 17 runs batted in and a home run so far this spring.

 

"Kylie has been a member of this program for six years now," Lee coach Sam Barbarotta said. "Her and Ari [Hall] are a huge asset to this team. Ari's our starting third baseman. There's nobody else I'd rather put out there.

 

"And then Kylie's our starting center fielder and one of our leading hitters. Having discipline that she's never had this year has been huge. She's been so disciplined in taking walks that she never has in the past. And I think that discipline and adopting the 'We, not me,' attitude has really gotten her to the next level of her game."

 

The iBerkshires.com Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Southwestern Vermont Health Care.