MIAA softball: Franklin Tech advances to Div. 5 Round of 8 with win over undefeated West Boylston

WEST BOYLSTON — The heat continued to emanate from the Franklin Tech softball team in the MIAA Division 5 state tournament Round of 16 on Tuesday afternoon. The 12th-seeded Eagles stayed hot with a 4-2 win over previously undefeated No. 5 West Boylston at the friendly confines of Goodale Park.

The win sets up a showdown with fourth-seeded Maynard in the Round of 8 (date and time to be determined). The Eagles’ formula for winning worked to perfection against the Lions. Franklin Tech pitched, played defense and got some timely hitting. Franklin Tech did not commit an error.

“We focus a lot on defensive drills,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “The improvement throughout the season I hope shows that. As of late, we’ve been turning a lot of double plays. We had one today.”

Sofia Melnik turned the double play from the shortstop position. A grounder had her fading toward the bag and at the last moment she stepped on the bag before firing to Charley Knight at first base. Brayleigh Burgh helped herself later in the inning with a diving catch.

“We were treating this as we were the underdog,” Gamache said. “That’s the team that knocked us out last year. I told them to just play confident. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Burgh made her first road start in the state tournament and delivered for the Eagles. She gave up eight hits with four strikeouts and a walk. The plan is always simple for Burgh, stay focused and let her defense go to work.

“I just did me,” Burgh said. “Just pitched. Just me and my catcher. They (the defense) worked their butts off like crazy. With the support of every single one of them for each other… that’s pushed them to be the best that they can be.”

West Boylston’s Isa Rivera led the game off with a shallow bloop to centerfield. Lindsey Taylor covered the ground and made a running catch that took away a sure hit from Rivera. The play set the tone for the defense.

“Our warmups were clean to start with,” Taylor said. “The energy on the way here was good. Sometimes with long games we get down. We were listening to music and were hyped up. Our outfield warmups were really clean, and it contributed to the game.”

Emma Petersen had an excellent game in left field with multiple put-outs with plenty of distance to cover before the catch. In the fifth inning, a double by Eva LaPoint reached the leftfield wall. The hit scored a run, but Lapoint went for the triple. Petersen collected the ball and initiated a perfect relay to Melnik who cut down the runner at third.

“A lot of practice. Practice, practice, practice,” Petersen said. “We do the same drills every day. This is my first year playing outfield full-time. It’s been an adjustment for me but over the course of the season I have learned to track balls better and get them in my glove.”

Franklin Tech took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Burgh singled in her first at bat. Courtesy runner Amelia Rider came around to score on two errors by the Lions. Meg Flaherty’s RBI single tied the game in the bottom of the second for the Lions.

Knight hit an RBI single in the third, giving Franklin Tech a 2-1 lead. Taylor scored from second on the play, beating the throw with a slide to the right of the plate.

Two huge runs came home for the Eagles in the fourth inning. Lyla Mickiewicz and Petersen singled, setting up Taylor with runners at first and second. Taylor sent a slicing hit down the left field line that West Boylston misplayed, scoring both runs and giving the Eagles a 4-1 lead.

LaPoint’s RBI double in the fifth made the score 4-2. In the bottom of the seventh, West Boylston led off with consecutive singles, but a “pickle” situation cut down the lead runner trying for third.

Rider made the final put-out at second base to close the game for Franklin Tech. LaPoint, a lefty fireballer, had nine strikeouts for the Lions.