Trailing 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning, the Frontier bats got to work on Thursday.
The visiting Redhawks sent nine batters to the plate in what amounted to a five-run inning, leading to a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Pioneer in a Franklin County League softball game in Northfield.
“They went on a run and had a series of hits,” Panthers coach Tina Riddell said. “I was happy with how we played overall. We had opportunities, now we just have to get the confidence to take the next step.”
Macy Ring (RBI double), Olivia Deane (RBI single), Jillian Apanell (RBI double) and Savannah Upton (RBI single) all had key hits in the sixth for Frontier (3-0, 3-0). Deane led the offense with three hits and two RBIs, while CC Greene was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Makayla Santos added a triple in the win. Deane struck out seven in a complete-game outing in the pitching circle.
Pioneer’s Tayla Sadlowski registered two hits and scored a run. Sofia Holden went all seven innings, striking out six, and roped a two-run triple in the bottom of the first inning to help the Panthers take an early 3-1 advantage.
“We’re a super young team,” Riddell said. “They were better on the ball than we were. I’m just looking for improvement each game and we’re showing that. We had a chance today and I’m hoping now we understand what having a chance means and what we have to do to win these kind of games.”
Athol 27, Mahar 2 (5) — A 17-run top of the second inning was more than enough to propel visiting Athol to a 27-2 five-inning FCL win over rival Mahar on Thursday in Orange.
Sadey Lehtomaki smacked three hits and drove in five runs to pace the Bears (2-2, 2-2), while Lexi Forte (three hits, two RBIs) and Christa Cucchi (three hits, two RBIs) also had big outings at the plate. Jenna Bonenfant roped two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs, while Athol also received offensive contributions from Emma Bacigalupo (hit, two RBIs), Lindsey LeBlanc (hit, RBI), Kassidy Swan (hit) and Sam Kenniff (triple, two RBIs).
LeBlanc struck out seven in three innings for Athol, while Reily Polana came on to strike out two in two innings of action.
Mahar’s Mackinley Drew scored a run in the bottom of the first inning that tied the game at 1-1.
Greenfield 15, Mohawk Trail 0 (6) — MacKenzie Paulin was nearly unhittable in the circle for the Green Wave.
Paulin struck out 15 batters and allowed just one hit — a bunt from Mya Lesieur — as Greenfield came away with a 15-0 win over Mohawk Trail in a six-inning FCL tilt in Buckland.
Kaitlin Lavoine went 2-for-3 for the Green Wave while Amber Bergeron was 3-for-3 at the plate in the win.
Lesieur struck out one batter in the circle for Mohawk Trail.
Franklin Tech 13, Smith Voke 12 — Emily Eastman hauled in the final out of the game, snagging a line drive in right field with the tying run on third base to lift the Eagles to a tight 13-12 victory in Tri-County League North action Thursday in Turners Falls.
The Eagles led 13-8 entering the top of the seventh inning before Smith Vocational scored four times and nearly tied it before Eastman sealed the win.
Lauren Ross struck out 11 in seven innings for the Eagles, including seven of the first nine batters she faced. Offensively, Faith Smith had three hits and an RBI for Franklin Tech, while the lineup also received help from Lilly Ross (two hits, two RBIs), Lauren Ross (two hits, RBI), Mackenzie Martel (hit, three RBIs), Eastman (hit, RBI), Kendra Campbell (double, RBI) and Kyra Goodell (hit, RBI).
Smith Vocational’s Ashley Schabacker struck out nine in a complete-game effort. Madison O’Connor, Sarah Paradee, Morgan Ball and Marion Hamel all had two hits and drove in a run.