TURNERS FALLS — It was a big second inning that put the Franklin Tech baseball team in control in its game against Mohawk Trail on Tuesday.
The Eagles led 3-1 going into the bottom of the second inning but sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame, scoring eight runs to take an 11-1 lead. Franklin Tech tacked seven runs on in the third and added another in the fourth to walk away with a 19-3 Bi-County North victory in five innings.
“The kids played hard,“ Eagles coach Dan Prasol said. “They executed well out there. Give Mason Lehtomaki credit. He pitched a good game and knocked some rust off.”
It was the first game of the season for the Warriors, with new head coach Doug McCloud saying he hopes to see improvement as the season progresses.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen the field this year against an opposing team,” McCloud said. “Am I disappointed? I don’t like to lose. If you know me, I don’t like losing. Every mistake we made they took advantage of it so credit to them.”
Mohawk Trail scored the opening run of the game in the first inning, as Deven Buchanan was hit by a pitch, stole second and third and made it home on a passed ball to give the Warriors a quick 1-0 advantage.
That lead didn’t last long. Alex Sulda got on with a walk for the Eagles, Ty Sadoski singled and both stole a base to put runners on second and third for Sam Knight. The senior came through for Tech, knocking a single that brought both runners home and gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
Knight stole second, made it to third on a Nate Fuess groundout and was brought home after Kyle Begos knocked a base hit to give Tech a 3-1 lead after one.
Mason Lehtomaki got three straight outs on the mound for the Eagles to keep the score 3-1 going into the bottom of the second. Lehtomaki then got on with a walk, Sulda knocked a double and Sadoski singled to drive both Lehtomaki and Sulda in. Sadoski then stole his way around the bases to make it a 6-1 game.
The rest of the damage in the inning came by being patient at the plate and aggressive on the base paths. Six of the next seven batters made it on base via walks, which led to five runs coming across as the Eagles built an 11-1 lead after two innings.
Mohawk Trail got its bats going in the third as it tried to get back in the game. Noah Sprague started the inning with a walk, Oliver Johnson moved him over with a base hit and Logan Moore drove Sprague in with a single to center field. Johnson took third on the hit and made it home on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Buchanan, cutting the lead to 11-3 going into the bottom of the third.
The Eagles made sure there would be no comeback by keeping the runs coming in the bottom of the frame. Sadoski got it started with a base hit, swiped a pair of bases and made it home on a Knight groundout.
Franklin Tech then continued to draw walks, with four coming in a row to bring Fuess home to make it a 13-3 game. Jack Gancarz knocked a single that scored Ben Dodge, Sulda doubled to bring Tyler Yetter and Will Ainsworth home before Gavin Crossman blasted a single that scored Gancarz and Sulda, putting the Eagles ahead 18-3 going into the fourth.
Dodge drew a walk, stole second and third and made it home on a balk in the bottom of the fourth to close out the scoring for Franklin Tech.
“Alex Sulda continued to hit the ball really well, Ty Sadoski continued to hit the ball really well,” Prasol said. “Really the whole top of the order continues to hit the ball well for us.”
Lehtomaki got the win on the mound, striking out three in two and two-thirds innings work.
Smith Academy 3, Mahar 2 — The Sens held a 2-0 lead going into the top of the seventh but the Falcons bats came alive to score three runs and take the lead.
Mahar was unable to get a run back in the bottom of the inning, with Smith Academy walking away with a 3-2 Bi-County North triumph in Orange on Tuesday.
Nate Danielson and Will Barnes each knocked a pair of hits for the Senators. Morgan Softic had a hit and an RBI while Sam Connors, Jeremy Vezina and Jayden Delgado all had a base hit in the loss. Connors struck out six on the mound.
Pioneer 5, Turners 1 — Ethan Quinn had it going on the mound for the Panthers, striking out 15 and surrendering just three hits as Pioneer picked up a Bi-County North win in Turners on Tuesday.
Braeden Tsipenyuk and Luke Belhuemer both had RBI singles for Pioneer while Ethan Mauthe, Peter Loud, Ian Simpson and Alex McClelland all had a hit in the win.
Alex Quezada did his job slowing down the Panthers lineup, striking out six in five innings work. Dylan Shinall closed out the game, striking out two. Cam Burnett, Derek Wissmann and Kainen Stevens each knocked a hit for Turners in the defeat.
Franklin Tech 16, McCann Tech 0 (5) — Hannah Gilbert was on fire in the circle for the Eagles, tossing a no hitter as Tech cruised to an independent win over the Hornets in five innings in North Adams on Tuesday.
Gilbert helped herself at the plate, knocking in three runs after blasting a home run and a pair of singles. Kait Trudeau finished the game with three hits — one a double — and knocked in a run, Cordelia Guerin singled, tripled and drove in a run, Kylee Gamache tallied three hits and a pair of RBIs, Lily Ross and Kyra Goodell each had two hits and an RBI, Lilianna Inman had a base hit while Kendra Campbell knocked in two runs for Tech.
Wahconah 14, Mohawk Trail 0 — Riley Giard knocked a single and struck out six in the circle as the Warriors fell to Wahconah in Buckland on Tuesday.
Mahar 83, Greenfield 62 — Dom Whitman won the long jump (17 feet, 10.5 inches), triple jump (38-1.5) and the 100 meters (11.6 seconds) while Mitchell Krasco took the 110 hurdles (19.7) and the 400 hurdles (25.1) as the Senators picked up a win over the visiting Green Wave Tuesday.
Other Mahar winners were Noah Rich in the discus (100-7.5), Coltin Fausett in the pole vault (8-6), Malaki Grummell in the 400 (61.1) and Mathieu Soucy in the 200 (25.1). The Sens won the 4×100 (48.7) and 4×400 (4:20.1) relays.
Greenfield’s Jackson Caron came away with a trio of wins, placing first in the mile (5:09.4), 800 (2:23.6) and 2 mile (11:42). Deion Brewington won the shot put (37-11.75), Ryan Pulizari took first in the javelin (118-0) and Krish Patel won the high jump (5-8) for the Green Wave.
Mahar 64, Greenfield 56 — Stellina Moore had a big day for the Senators, winning the long jump (14-10), pole vault (8-6), 100 hurdles (18 seconds) and the 400 hurdles (86.6) to lift Mahar past the Green Wave on Tuesday in Orange.
Nevaeh Scribner won the triple jump (28-1.5) and the 400 (64.2) while the Sens took the 4×100 (59.8) and 4×400 (5:08) relays.
Greenfield winners were Ava Fortin in the 800 (2:48.8) and the mile (6:59), Ava Widelo in the 100 (14.7) and 200 (31.8), Makayla Valente in the javelin (83-10) and high jump (3-10), Lillia Kachelmeyer in the discus (93-3) and Aneesa Brewer in the shot put (25-9.25).
West Springfield 3, Athol 0 — The Terriers got out to a fast start in Athol on Tuesday, pulling away with a 25-6, 25-17, 25-14 triumph over the Bears.
Ashan Santiago served a pair of aces for the Bears, and Colin Mason racked up four digs.
PV Christian 5, Turners 0 — Noah Kolodziej had the top match of the day for the Thunder, falling 6-2, 6-3 in No. 2 singles as the Thunder fell to the Eagles in Turners on Tuesday.
Mike Boyle, Jake Reich, John Carmichael and Vaughn LaValley also competed for Turners.