McGrath, Tobin Earn Athlete of the Week Honors

The Hoosac Valley baseball and Pittsfield softball teams are peaking as they head into the last week of the regular season, and this week's Athletes of the Week are two big reasons why.

 

Pittsfield junior Haley Tobin is half of one of arguably the best battery in Berkshire County and has put a charge into the Generals' offense with a .552 batting average and 21 RBIs.

 

Hoosac Valley senior Keagan McGrath has a team-leading .426 average at the plate and a 1.65 earned run average on the mound, where has gone 2-1 for the 9-6 Hurricanes.

 

This week, Hoosac went 3-0 in a stretch that included two five-inning games.

 

One was an act of God. The other was an act of McGrath.

 

McGrath had a rare hitless effort on Thursday but was robbed of at least one at-bat when thunderstorms shortened Hoosac Valley's 1-0 win over Drury.

 

The day before, McGrath made short work of Lee, pitching a five-inning no-hitter in the Hurricanes' 15-0 win. He struck out eight and walked two but faced the minimum after picking off both baserunners he allowed.

 

He joined a 10-hit Hoosac attack, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI.

 

In a 5-2 win over Mount Everett on Monday, McGrath was 2-for-4.

 

Also on Monday, Tobin went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Generals in a 4-3 win over Vermont's Mount Anthony Union.

 

It was Pittsfield's third straight win against an out-of-state opponent after sweeping a pair from Cumberland, R.I., the weekend before. In those two games, Tobin was a combined 5-for-6 with two RBIs.

 

Defensively, she and pitcher Giulianna Pierce have crafted six shutouts this spring and compiled a 1.47 earned run average.

 

PHS has won 12 straight to run its record to 14-2. The two losses? By a combined five runs to 2016 South Sectional finalist Silver Lake.