Sports
South Hadley baseball gets past Hampshire Regional in Hartford: ‘it’s almost like the big leagues’ (PHOTOS)
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
HARTFORD, Conn. – As the South Hadley baseball team exited the handshake line with Hampshire Regional and ran toward their team meeting in center field, Tigers players yelped with glee, flung their gloves into foul territory and smiled wide. They had...
High schools: Milestones for Amherst’s Sofia Holden, Belchertown’s Rainer Kristensen, Hampshire’s Anna Puttick
Sofia Holden recorded the 600th strikeout of her career, lifting the Amherst softball team to a convincing 15-3 win over Springfield Central on Thursday in Springfield.The Hurricanes ace struck out 10 batters in total, allowing just three hits and one...
Softball: Cassie Dion records 200th career strikeout as Hopkins Academy blanks Granby 6-0
By GARRETT COTE
HADLEY — In the sixth inning of a 4-0 game, Hopkins Academy ace Cassie Dion was looking to get out of the frame unscathed with a Granby baserunner (Ellie Szlosek) on first base and one out.Dion delivered a pitch to Rams clean-up hitter Katie Grabherr,...
High schools: Frontier softball holds off Mount Greylock
The Frontier softball team led 9-2 into the fifth inning before Mount Greylock rallied and made things interesting on Wednesday.The visiting Mounties pulled within 9-7 in the sixth before Frontier tacked on a pair of insurance runs and held on for a...
Boys volleyball: Granby cruises to 3-0 sweep over Athol (PHOTOS)
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
GRANBY – Michael Swanigan and Braeden Gallagher had just taken the volleyball net down from another win Wednesday night, but they weren’t ready to pack up the balls just yet.The two went off to the side of the gym and began hitting at each other,...
Baseball: Hampshire, South Hadley to ‘get a little taste of what it’s like to be a pro’ at Dunkin’ Park
By GARRETT COTE
On Thursday afternoon, the Hampshire Regional and South Hadley baseball programs will be taking the field against one another for the 25th consecutive year. The two teams are used to battling it out, but the quarter-century edition is special.The...
Belchertown Twirlers capture first place at Northeast Regional Championships
The Belchertown Twirlers competed at the Northeast Regional Championships at Holyoke Community College over the weekend. After finishing in first place at the Massachusetts State Championships back on March 23, Belchertown’s team of seven earned a bid...
UMass basketball: Minutemen nab another transfer in Arizona State forward Akil Watson
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
Just 24 hours ago, the UMass men’s basketball team hadn’t brought in a single transfer to replace the players who departed the program in the offseason. Now, after Wednesday’s signing of forward Akil Watson from Arizona State, the Minutemen have added...
UMass basketball: Bryant forward Daniel Rivera to be Minutemen’s first transfer of the offseason
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
Just days after UMass forward Matt Cross announced his transfer to SMU – one of five players to transfer away from the program this offseason – the Minutemen finally added their first piece to the 2024 roster on Tuesday night.Bryant’s Daniel Rivera...
High schools: Ana Growhoski records 100th career hit in Easthampton softball’s win over East Longmeadow
Ana Growhoski tallied her 100th career hit as part of an eight-run first inning that helped the Easthampton softball team to a 9-7 victory over East Longmeadow on the road on Tuesday afternoon.Growhoski went 3-for-5 on the day with three runs and an...
Softball: Willow Hicks, Angela Magyar power Gateway past Amherst 8-1
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
AMHERST – Gateway second baseman Willow Hicks connected on an 0-2 pitch and drove it deep to left field.She never saw the ball but figured Amherst left fielder Maggie Collins was going to catch it. Instead, the ball flew over Collins’ head and Hicks...
Boys volleyball: Carey twins help power Frontier past Belchertown in straight sets (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
BELCHERTOWN — Throughout the entire offseason, Frontier senior Aleks Carey worked tirelessly to improve as a middle hitter so he could come back and dominate his position.When the season started, it became evident Carey was one of the best passers on...
Baseball: Smith Academy edged by Logan Moore, Mohawk Trail in 1-0 loss (PHOTOS)
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
BUCKLAND — With the way Mohawk Trail ace Logan Moore was pitching on Tuesday against Smith Academy, the Warrior offense didn’t need to do much at the plate to come away with a victory. Moore had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning, not giving the...
Swayman stops 38 shots, Bruins roll past Panthers 5-1 for 1-0 series lead
By TIM REYNOLDS
Swayman stops 38 shots, Bruins roll past Panthers 5-1 for 1-0 series leadEds: UPDATES: Updates Media.SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Swayman stopped 38 shots, Brandon Carlo scored a goal just a few hours after his wife gave birth to their son and the...
High schools: Belchertown lacrosse seniors Paige Magner and Maddy LePage celebrate milestones
Belchertown girls lacrosse senior captains Paige Magner and Maddy LePage combined for 19 points and both celebrated career milestones in a 19-10 home win over Wahconah on Monday.Magner scored seven times and celebrated her 100th career goal. She also...
Track & field: Northampton, Amherst split final dual meets of the season (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
NORTHAMPTON — Regardless of the sport, it always means more when Northampton and Amherst meet up for the ‘Battle of the Bridge.’The two schools were busy again on Monday afternoon, as the Blue Devils and Hurricanes’ track and field teams met in the...
Girls lacrosse: Northampton rallies from 5-goal deficit to knock off Amherst 12-11
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
AMHERST – The Northampton girls lacrosse team hadn’t been in a game like this all year. They hadn’t faced Amherst in three seasons.But despite two separate five-goal deficits early in the second half, the Blue Devils came all the way back to beat the...
Amherst Invitational: Northampton girls ultimate capture tournament title in impressive fashion
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — It was a weekend that will forever be remembered in the Northampton High School girls varsity ultimate program, as the Blue Devils made history via a dominant tournament showing.Northampton entered this past weekend’s Amherst Invitational at...
Local briefs: Northampton Post 28 American Legion tryouts this weekend
The Northampton American Legion baseball team (19U) will be holding tryouts on Sunday, May 12 from 10 a.m. until noon, and then again on Sunday, May 26 from 9-11 a.m.Tryouts will be held at Arcanum Field in Florence. For more information email Mike...
UMass basketball: Minutemen officially in 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase with Providence, Boston College and Temple
By GARRETT COTE
The news is officially official: the UMass men’s basketball program will be part of the four-team field in the 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase, the Hall announced on Monday.Joining the Minutemen is two other prestigious New England...
