Baseball tournament capsules
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DIVISION 1
Amherst Regional
Record: 13-7
Seed/Opponent: No. 4/Hosts No. 13 Northampton at 6 p.m. Friday
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to Agawam 3-0 in first round
Leaders: Kevin Ziomek (.404 batting average, 17 RBIs), Dean Bonneau (.348 BA, 25 runs), Evan Hazelett (.281 BA, 20 runs, 11 stolen bases), Steffen Herter (.375 BA, 13 RBIs, 11 runs); Ziomek (6-2, 0.60 ERA, 83 strikeouts, 13 hits allowed in 46-2/3 innings), Sean Cunningham (3-4, 3.04 ERA), Derek Osborne (2-1, 2.40 ERA, 23-1/3 innings)
Key wins: Westfield twice, Chicopee, Agawam, Northampton
Notable losses: East Longmeadow, West Springfield, Cathedral twice, Agawam, Northampton
Outlook: Ziomek gives the Hurricanes a chance to win every time the lefty pitches. However, it is unknown if the junior will take the hill for the first game. The two teams played each other in the season finale Saturday, with Bonneau earning the win in a wild 7-6 victory when Amherst scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Also lost to the Blue Devils, 3-1 on May 10 at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Osborne took the loss in that game.
Northampton
Record: 9-11
Seed/Opponent: No. 13/Plays at No. 4 Amherst Friday at 6 p.m.
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to Longmeadow 6-3 in quarterfinal round
Leaders: Luke LaPlante (.429 batting average, 12 RBIs, 15 runs), Sam Goodwin-Boyd (.400 BA, 14 RBIs, 15 runs), Sam Barron (.33 BA, 18 RBIs, 18 runs); Jimmy Laizer (3-6, 4.70 ERA, 53 strikeouts in 44-2/3 innings), Goodwin-Boyd (1-4, 4.38 ERA, 32 strikeouts in 30-1/3 innings), Sam Kerstetter (3-1, 3.41 ERA)
Key wins: Amherst, Belchertown, Minnechaug, South Hadley twice
Notable losses: Holyoke, Agawam, Westfield, East Longmeadow twice, Chicopee, West Springfield
Outlook: The streaky Blue Devils lost three games by fewer than two runs. Their offense averages 5.8 runs per game and a combined .293 batting average. Team qualified by finishing in a four-way tie for second in the Suburban League. Went 5-9 against tournament teams. Northampton defeated Amherst 3-1 on May 10 as Kerstetter scattered eight hits at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The Blue Devils lost 7-6 to the Hurricanes in the season finale when Goodwin-Boyd struggled and Laizer took the loss in relief in that game.
OTHER CONTENDERS: No. 1 East Longmeadow (19-1) boasts a strong pitching staff with Steve Moyers, Steve Hall, Colin O'Neil and Mike Ahmed. No. 2 Westfield (15-5) is the defending sectional champ and a traditional postseason power. No. 3 Cathedral (17-3) has a strong offense and pitching staff led by Matt O'Herron.
DIVISION 2
Belchertown
Record: 11-9
Seed/Opponent: No. 2/Hosts winner of first-round game between No. 10 South Hadley and No. 7 Hoosac Valley to be played at 4 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Monday
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to Monument Mountain 5-1 in semifinal round
Leaders: Bryan Eldridge (.375 batting average, 27 runs, 17 RBIs, 4 HRs, 18 stolen bases), Cory Menard (.369 BA, 18 RBIs, 13 runs, 6 HRs), Dan Hodgen (.317 BA, 18 RBIs, 14 runs), Mike Foley (20 runs, 14 SB); Kevin Dupras (4-0, 3.41 ERA, 44 strikeouts in 37 innings), Hodgen (3-4, 2.60 ERA, 35 innings)
Key wins: Palmer, South Hadley, Wahconah, Agawam, Minnechaug, Holyoke
Notable losses: South Hadley, East Longmeadow twice, Chicopee, West Springfield, Taconic
Outlook: The Orioles have taken their opponents deep all season. The team has smashed 13 home runs with nearly half coming from Menard. Belchertown has an amazing team slugging percentage of .414. With most of the power coming at home, the Orioles have a great opportunity to move on with one home game. Two of Dupras' wins came against Division 2 opponents, No. 6 Palmer and No. 10 South Hadley.
South Hadley
Record: 6-14
Seed/Opponent: No. 10/Plays at No. 7 Hoosac Valley at 4 p.m. Friday
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to Monument Mountain 16-1 in quarterfinal round
Leaders: Jay Dizek (.345 batting average, 13 runs, 13 stolen bases, 8 RBIs), Pat Dragon (.317 BA, 20 SB); Sean Sullivan (2-5, 4.50 ERA, 28 strikeouts in 37-1/3 innings), Paul Ciolek (1-5, 4.07 ERA, 34 strikeouts in 32-2/3 innings), Kyle Callahan (2-0, 0.64 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 11 innings)
Key wins: Belchertown
Notable losses: Palmer twice, Belchertown, East Longmeadow twice
Outlook: The Tigers struggled all season but managed to reach their 11th straight postseason by finishing in a four-way tie for second in the Suburban League. The team struggled on offense with a .228 batting average, and no player had more than eight RBIs. The team struggled on the mound with a team earned run average of 4.49.
OTHER CONTENDERS: Greenfield (16-4) is the top seed for the second straight season. The Green Wave lost in the semifinals last year to Hoosac Valley. Never discount teams from Berkshire County. Hoosac (No. 7, 12-8) beat Monument Mountain (No. 9, 11-9) in the finals in 2006 and 2008, and Wahconah (No. 8, 11-8) won in 2007. Mount Greylock (12-8) and Drury (12-8) are the third and fourth seeds.
DIVISION 3
Frontier Regional
Record: 10-10
Seed/Opponent: No. 7/Hosts No. 10 Westfield Voke at 1 p.m. Saturday
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to Westwood 12-6 in state final
Leaders: Gary Grandonico (.328 batting average, 19 runs, 17 RBIs, 14 stolen bases), Ashton Lutenegger (.281 BA, 17 runs, 24 SB), Anthony Laurenitis (.293 BA, 14 runs, 14 SB), Chris Williams (.317 BA, 16 RBIs), Erik Abramson (.279 BA, 22 RBIs); Grandonico (4-2, save, 2.48 ERA, 43 strikeouts in 45 innings), Stephen Wojtowicz (1-3, save, 0.82 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 34-1/3 innings), Robbie Sjodahl (3-3, 2.33 ERA)
Key wins: Amherst, Hopkins Academy, Greenfield, Mohawk, Palmer
Notable losses: Mahar twice, Greenfield, Hopkins, Pioneer twice
Outlook: The Red Hawks were in danger of missing the postseason for the first time since 1995 but they won their final four games to earn the chance to defend their title. Frontier reached the finals from 2002 to 2005, winning in 2003 and 2005. Frontier's pitching came around in its final three games this season, allowing two runs in each.
Gateway Regional
Record: 11-9
Seed/Opponent: No. 9/Plays at No. 8 St. Mary at 4 p.m. Friday
Last tournament appearance: 2004, lost to St. Joseph 9-2 in semifinal round
Leaders: Mike Miller (.464 batting average, 16 runs, 13 RBIs), Ray Bressette (.387 BA, 10 runs, 17 RBIs, Jeremy Tanguay (.426 BA, 12 runs, 12 RBIs, 2 HRs); Miller (4-2, 2.20 ERA, 44 strikeouts in 47-2/3 innings), Tanguay (2-4, 2.76 ERA, 36 strikeouts in 38 innings), Tommy Ray (3-1, 2.94 ERA, 16-2/3 innings)
Key wins: Palmer, Monson twice
Notable losses: Ware twice, Pioneer Regional, Palmer
Outlook: The Gators were 10-5 at one point but stumbled down the stretch and lost four of five. However, those losses came at the hands of Division 1 No. 10 seed Sci-Tech, Division 2 No. 6 Palmer and Division 3 No. 1 Ware and No. 2 Mount Everett. Gateway batted .347 and averaged 6.4 runs per game.
Granby
Record: 15-5
Seed/Opponent: No. 11/Plays at No. 6 Hopkins Academy at 4 p.m. Friday
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to Ware 7-6 in first round
Leaders: Adam Majka (.348 batting average, 11 RBIs, 22 walks), Jesse Cummings (.315 BA, 10 RBIs, 17 hits), Zack Cloutier (.300 BA, 10 RBI, 18 hits); Kyle Pardee (3-1, 1.94 ERA, 32 strikeouts in 36 innings), Majka (5-1, 3.13 ERA, 44 strikeouts in 38 innings), Tim Gifford (5-2, 4.16 ERA)
Key wins: St. Mary, McCann Tech twice, Franklin Tech twice
Notable losses: Westfield Vocational twice, Ware, Hopkins Academy
Outlook: The Rams went 14-2 through the first 16 games. Granby stumbled down the stretch, going 1-3. Three of the Rams' losses were to tournament teams - 5-1 to No. 10 Westfield Vocational, 10-5 to No. 1 Ware and 11-0 to No. 6 Hopkins Academy on Friday. The team has relied on its starting pitching and Pardee, Majka and Gifford came through.
Hopkins Academy
Record: 13-7
Seed/Opponent: No. 6/Hosts No. 11 Granby at 4 p.m. Friday
Last tournament appearance: 2008, lost to St. Joseph 16-2 in quarterfinal round
Leaders: Burke Bonneville (.328 batting average, 17 runs, 17 RBIs), Bryan Pelchat (.368 BA, 18 runs, seven RBIs), Kyle Mish (.379 BA, nine runs, eight RBIs), Karl Kapinos (.389 BA, 19 runs, 15 RBIs); Bonneville (7-3, save, 1.98 ERA, 65 strikeouts in 53 innings), Kapinos (2-0, 2.02 ERA, 17-1/3 innings)
Key wins: Mahar, Pioneer Regional, Mohawk, Frontier Regional
Notable losses: Greenfield twice, Mahar, Mohawk, Frontier, Pioneer Regional
Outlook: The Golden Hawks were 12-3 at one point before injuries hit, most notably to Garrison Banas. The sophomore was 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA and batted .396 before a knee injury sidelined him for the season. Bonneville will look to carry the squad, but Kapinos and Tim Cooke will need to pitch some innings for Hopkins to have a chance. The Golden Hawks beat Granby 11-0 behind Bonneville in the season finale for both teams on Friday.
OTHER CONTENDERS: No. 1 Ware (17-1) won in 2006 and is led by ace B.J. Robidoux, son of former Major League first baseman Billy Joe Robidoux. No. 2 Mount Everett (15-4) is the highest seeded team from Berkshire County. No. 3 Pioneer Regional (15-5) and No. 5 Mahar (13-7) tied for second in the Hampshire League.
