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Kevin Ziomek

Amherst ace fans 13 for sixth victory

Staff reports

EAST LONGMEADOW - Kevin Ziomek cruised through five innings and Amherst Regional was in control on Friday.

Then Frank Calabrese hit a shot heard around East Longmeadow.

But Ziomek had an answer and killed any Spartan momentum as the Hurricanes won 7-3.

"They were fired up on the bench," Ziomek said. "I had to get after them."

Amherst (12-6) led 7-0 when Calabrese smashed a first-pitch three-run home run over the fence in left field. Following a quick word with catcher Steffen Herter, Ziomek went back to work. He struck out the next two batters on a combined seven pitches,

The senior lefty worked a 1-2-3 seventh to stay unbeaten at 6-0. The Spartans fell to 15-3.

"I wanted to finish it up and have a strong seventh inning after a rough sixth," Ziomek said.

Ziomek struck out 13, including the 200th of his career in the third inning. He allowed four hits, walked one and allowed three earned runs. Ziomek's earned run average went from 0.22 to 0.71.

"It's always a good effort when he's out there," Amherst coach Greg Vouros said. "At 7-3 they're still in the ball game. That's the guy we want on the mound. We trust him and we have confidence in him. They had the momentum."

Amherst took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Sean Cunningham (two hits, two RBIs) led off with an inside-the-park home run. Right fielder Mike Nardi drifted back to the fence to catch Cunningham's high fly ball. The ball glanced off his glove as Nardi flipped over the fence. By the time the ball was picked up, Cunningham was heading home.

Derek Osborne followed with single, moved to second on a sacrifice, then took third on a wild pitch. Zach Tanne's ground out scored Osborne.

The Hurricanes scored five runs in the fourth, highlighted by Herter's two-run single.

Chuck Hebb singled and had an RBI for Amherst, while Dean Bonneau (walk), Jack McCutcheon (single), Matt Musante (double) and Tanne each scored a run.

Ziomek is scheduled to start Amherst's regular-season finale against Cathedral (16-1) at 7 p.m. at Community Field on Friday.

Hopkins Academy 6, Athol 4 - Senior Tim Cooke earned the win for the Golden Hawks on senior day in Hadley.

Cooke allowed two runs on six hits and four walks while striking out five over 5-1/3 innings. Karl Kapinos took over for the final 1-2/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out two.

Cooke also drove in Kapinos with a triple in the fifth.

Junior Garrison Banas added a two-run double for Hopkins.

Freshman Sean Quill made his first varsity start at catcher and played well defensively, said coach Pat Lemieux.

Hampshire Regional 2, Gateway Regional 1 - Eddie Hagelstein out-pitched Jeremy Tanguay as the Red Raiders (7-10, 5-8 Bi-County) held on for the win over the Gators (7-6, 7-5), who have lost six of eight.

Hagelstein struck out seven, walked one and allowed three hits in Westhampton.

Tanguay fanned six, walked three and allowed five hits.

Matt Dziok (2-for-3, run) hit an opposite field home run in the first to give Hampshire a 1-0 lead. Evan Klich's sacrifice fly in the third plated Jon Hernandez (2-for-3) with the Raiders' second run. Hagelstein had one hit.

Tanguay (two hits) had a solo homer in the fourth for Gateway.

Mike Miller singled in the second for the Gators.

Holyoke Catholic 9, Pioneer Regional 2 - John Greaney's terrific pitching performance in Northfield forced the Panthers (9-7) to wait at least one more game before clinching a postseason berth .

Greaney, a senior, went the distance, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and no walks while striking out one. Pioneer had just two hits in the first six innings.

Preston Wolff led the Gaels (3-14) with three hits and an RBI, wile Mike Hagelstein had two hits and drove in one.

Nate Thompson added a two-run home run for Holyoke Catholic.

Chicopee Comp 11, Northampton 4 - The Blue Devils (10-8, 6-2 Suburban) could not take advantage of nine walks issued by Chicopee Comp in the loss at home.

Northampton starter Sam Goodwin-Boyd pitched 4-1/3 innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked five and struck out six.

Andrew Sadowski pitched the final 2-2/3 for the Blue Devils and gave up six runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts. Sadowski had three singles and drove in three of the four runs. Zack Kennedy knocked in the other with a sacrifice fly.

Matty Bak had a hit and two walks and scored twice for Northampton. Goodwin-Boyd also scored a run.

Ludlow 10, Belchertown 2 - Zach Egan had two hits in the Orioles' loss in Ludlow.

Zachary Stone and Cory Menard each had one hit and an RBI for Belchertown (4-12, 3-5 Suburban).

Brian Tabb took the loss for the Orioles, striking out one in 4-1/3 innings.

Granby 14, St. Mary 6 - The Rams (14-4, 8-3 Tri-County North) handed the Saints (16-2, 8-2) their second loss with the win under the lights at Bullens Field in Westfield.

Granby pitcher Adam Majka struck out eight for the complete-game victory.

Jesse Cummings had four hits for the rams, and Zak Cloutier (two RBIs) and Tim Gifford (three RBIs) each had two.