Amherst softball topples Milford, heads to state final

Emma Mendoker tossed a two-hit shutout, Brittany Deres had a two-run single and Amherst Regional got some revenge in a 3-0 win over Milford at the UMass Softball Complex on Thursday.

The Hurricanes (23-1) will play defending state champion King Philip of Wrentham (25-0) in the finals Saturday at 7 p.m. at Worcester State.

Much more from the game later.

Amherst softball wins title; Easthampton baseball falls short

The Amherst softball team defeated Agawam 2-0 at UMass on Monday to earn its second straight WMass Division 1 Tournament title and third in four years. The Hurricanes get a rematch Thursday in the state semifinals against Milford, which won last year's state semis 1-0 in eight innings. The game is set for 4 p.m. back at UMass.

In baseball, Easthampton battled back from an early 6-0 deficit to even the score with Pioneer Regional, but the Panthers won it 8-6 with a two-run homer in the seventh at Bullens Field in Westfield.

We'll have much more on both games posted later.

Saturday's Softball/Baseball title games PPD

Championship Saturday won't feature as many teams raising trophies as usual, as the constant rain has postponed both the baseball and softball title games.

Baseball games have been postponed to Monday, but times and locations are still TBA at this point.

Softball, meanwhile, is currently set for Sunday. The times and place (UMass) remain the same. D2 will start at 11 a.m., D3 at 1 p.m. and D1 at 3 p.m.

Of course, the forecast for Sunday isn't much better than Saturday...

Girls D1 tennis is now at 2 p.m. at the Ludlow Athletic Club, while lacrosse remains set for 11 a.m. (girls) and 1 p.m. (Boys) Saturday at AIC.

Keep an eye on MIAA.net for updates throughout the weekend.

Hampshire wins; Granby falls

After waiting nearly two full days to complete its WMass D2 Tournament semifinal against Palmer, Hampshire Regional scored a run in the restarted bottom of the seventh inning to earn a 9-8 win and advance to its third-straight final.

Hampshire will play No. 1 Wahconah for the title Saturday at UMass at 11 a.m.

Granby, meanwhile, struggled through a four-error third inning that saw superpower Turners Falls score 10 times en route to a 14-2 victory in the D-3 semifinals. 

The complete stories from both games will be posted later tonight.

Mendoker named state Gatorade Player of the Year

Emma Mendoker was named the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year on Thursday.

Mendoker, a senior pitcher for Amherst Regional, has posted a 21-1 record with a 0.15 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched. She will take the circle Saturday in the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament final against Agawam. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.

Mendoker, who led last year's Hurricanes to a 23-1 record and a trip to the state semifinals, will play at Division I East Carolina University next season.

We'll have more posted later today.

Amherst beats Agawam 3-2 in softball thriller

Quianna Diaz-Patterson answers back with an RBI triple to tie the game. Simone Frank with a slap hit to third, Diaz-Patterson beats the throw him. Amherst wins 3-2.

--update--

Amherst gets one back - 2-1 after six. Quianna Diaz-Patterson hits solo homer but called out after missing second base.

--update --

Agawam scores two unearned in the sixth and led 2-0. More to follow.

Amherst softball loses, snaps regular season 65-game win streak

For the first time since April 18, 2008, the Amherst Regional softball team lost a regular season game on Friday afternoon.
The Hurricanes allowed two unearned runs in the first inning and fell to Agawam 2-0 on the road.
Amherst (10-1, 0-1 Valley) had won 65 straight regular season games, dating back to a 5-1 loss to Westfield back in 2008. That squad won 15 straight to end the regular season and eventually won the WMass title. The team posted back-to-back 20-0 regular seasons and had won 10 straight before Friday’s loss.
Since the Westfield defeat, Amherst had won 59 straight games against teams from the Pioneer Valley. The team also had a 30 game winning streak against all WMass squads snapped with the loss.
“They were certainly ready for us and we didn’t play well,” said Amherst coach Kacey Schmitt, whose team last loss to a WMass squad when it was shocked by Pittsfield 3-2 in the first round of the 2009 tournament. “I told them after the game that this showed that we have to show up and be ready to play. We can’t just expect to win. We’ll see how we respond.”
Emma Mendoker suffered her first career regular season loss after allowing two unearned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out 10.
The senior also had one of the team’s two hits. Athena Donta added a single in the loss.

*We'll have more high school coverage posted later tonight.

Amherst vs. West Springfield softball update

Just got word from Jim, who is at the game, Amherst and West Side are scoreless through 4. Emma Mendoker has allowed one hit with seven strikeouts. Annie Pitkin of West Side has fanned five with no hits.--- UPDATE ---West Side 1-0 through five.Pitkin still has no hitter. ----UPDATE ----Amherst came back with two runs. 2-1 Amherst through six. ----UPDATE----Amherst wins 2-1

Mendoker fires second-straight no-hitter

We'll have the full story from the game posted later tonight.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson verbally commits to play UMass softball

Amherst Regional junior shortstop Quianna Diaz-Patterson has verbally committed to play at the University of Massachusetts.

Diaz-Patterson batted .663 and helped the Hurricanes to an undefeated regular season as a sophomore last season.

We'll have much more on the story in Thursday's Gazette.

Hampshire softball wins Western Mass.

Stayed tuned for complete coverage.

Amherst softball upset by Pittsfield

Stay tuned for more on the game.

Athletes of the Day

Mike Walkowicz of Smith Vocational baseball struck out 11 for the third time in four starts as the Vikings beat Smith Academy.

Emma Mendoker of Amherst Regional softball posted her fourth one-hitter in her last five games as the Hurricanes beat Belchertown. She also had one on Tuesday against Northampton and would have been the AOTD if we posted one last night.

Sam Kabat of Hampshire Regional softball also threw a one-hitter as the Red Raiders beat Greenfield.

Athletes of the Day

EMMA MENDOKER, Amherst Regional girls softball — The sophomore handed Agawam its first loss, 3-0, behind a three-hit, nine strikeout performance in Amherst.

KRAIG BURKE, Granby baseball — The junior hit a two-run home run and finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored as the Rams defeated McCann Tech 13-9 in North Adams.

Athlete of the Day - April 1

The day after Amherst Regional baseball pitcher Kevin Ziomek struck out 18, the Hurricanes’ new softball pitcher Emma Mendoker nearly matched him.
The sophomore, who moved to Amherst from New Jersey, struck out 16 in her debut on Wednesday as the Hurricanes (1-0) cruised past Chicopee 16-1.

Saturday's WMass Finals

Here are the results for the three WMass title games featuring GazetteLand school:

Baseball
Frontier 15, Smith Academy 6

Softball
Amherst 6, Minnechaug 1

Boys tennis
Longmeadow 5, Northampton 0

Make sure to see Monday's Gazette for complete coverage of the entire weekend.

Updated Tourney Brackets

Western Massachusetts Tournaments
BASEBALL
Division 1
Semifinals
Thursday, June 5
Agawam 3, Longmeadow 0
Westfield 4, Cathedral 3 (9)
Final
Saturday, June 7
Szot Park, Chicopee
Westfield (No. 2, 18-4) vs. Agawam (No. 8, 14-9), 12

Division 2
Semifinals
Thursday, June 5
Monument Mountain 5, Belchertown 1
Hoosac Valley 12, Greenfield 10
Final
Saturday, June 7
Place TBA
Monument Mountain (No. 2, 18-4) vs. Hoosac Valley (No. 4, 14-8), 1

Division 3
Semifinals
Thursday, June 5
Frontier 9, St. Joseph 5
Smith Academy 18, Sabis 3
Final
Saturday, June 7
Szot Park, Chicopee
Smith Academy (No. 1, 21-1) vs. Frontier (No. 5, 15-8), 3

SOFTBALL
Division 1
Final
Saturday, June 7
At Elms College
Amherst (No. 2, 20-2) vs. Minnechaug (No. 1, 20-2), 3

Division 2
Semifinals
Thursday, June 5
Wahconah 6, Hampshire Regional 4
Drury 4, Monson 0
Final
Saturday, June 7
At Elms College
Wahconah (No. 7, 15-8) vs. Drury (No. 1, 19-3), 1

Division 3
Final
Saturday, June 7
At Elms College
Turners Falls (No. 1 19-2) vs. Mount Everett (No. 3, 17-4), 5

BOYS LACROSSE
Final
Saturday, June 7
Roberts Field, Holyoke
Longmeadow (No. 1, 18-2) vs. Minnechaug (No. 2, 14-4), 7

GIRLS LACROSSE
Final
at Westfield State College
Thursday, June 5
Longmeadow 12, Minnechaug 4

BOYS TENNIS
Division 1
Semifinals
Wednesday, June 4
Longmeadow 5, Amherst 0
Friday, June 6
Game 10: Northampton (No. 3, 15-2) at Chicopee (No. 2, 16-2), 3:30
Final
Saturday, June 7
Time, place TBA
Longmeadow (No. 1, 16-2) vs. Game Winner

Division 2
Final
Friday, June 6
Lee High School
Belchertown (No. 1, 16-0) vs. Mount Greylock (No. 2, 16-0), 4

GIRLS TENNIS
Division 1
Semifinals
Wednesday, June 4
Longmeadow 5, East Longmeadow 0
Thursday, June 5
Taconic 3, Amherst Regional 2
Final
Saturday, June 7
Forest Park, Springfield
Longmeadow (No. 1, 17-1) vs. Taconic (No. 3, 16-2), 3

Division 2
Final
Friday, June 6
Forest Park, Springfield
South Hadley (No. 2, 17-1) vs. Lee (No. 1, 18-0). 4

Baseball, Softball Tournament Seeds

Western Massachusetts
Tournament
Baseball
Division 1
1. East Longmeadow (18-2)
2. Westfield (16-4)
3. Cathedral (16-4)
4. Northampton (16-4)
5. Longmeadow (15-5)
6. Taconic (17-3)
7. Chicopee (12-8)
8. Agawam (11-9)
9. Amherst (10-10)
10. Minnechaug (9-11)
11. Sci-Tech 10-10)
First round
Friday, May 30
Game 1: Amherst at Agawam, 4
Game 2: Minnechaug at Chicopee, 4
Game 3: Sci-Tech at Taconic, 4
Quarterfinals
Monday, June 2
Game 4: Game 1 winner at East Longmeadow, 4
Game 5: Game 2 winner at Westfield, 4
Game 6: Game 3 winner at Cathedral, 4
Game 7: Longmeadow at Northampton, 4
Semifinals
Wednesday, June 4
At Szot Park, Chicopee
Game 8: Game 7 winner vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Place, date TBA
Game 9: Game 6 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Finals
Saturday or Sunday, June 7-8
Place, time TBA
Semifinal winners

Division 2
1. Greenfield (19-1)
2. Monument Mountain (16-4)
3. Southwick (12-8)
4. Hoosac Valley (12-8)
5. Mohawk Trail (12-8)
6. Belchertown (9-11)
7. Hampshire (10-10)
8. Wahconah (10-10)
9. Mount Greylock (9-9)
10. South Hadley (3-17)
First round
Friday, May 30
Game 1: Greylock at Wahconah, 4
Game 2: South Hadley at Hampshire, 4
Quarterfinals
Monday, June 2
Game 3: Game 1 winner at Greenfield, 4
Game 4: Game 2 winner at Monument, 4
Game 5: Belchertown at Southwick, 4
Game 6: Mohawk at Hoosac, 4
Semifinals
Time, Date, Place TBA
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Finals
Saturday or Sunday, June 7-8
Place, time TBA
Semifinal winners

Division 3
1, St. Joseph (15-3)
2. Smith Academy (19-1)
3. St. Mary (17-3)
4. Ware (14-6)
5. Frontier Regional (12-8)
6. Dean Tech (14-6)
7. Westfield Vocational (12-8)
8. Smith Vocational (12-8)
9. Hopkins (10-8)
10. Mount Everett (11-9)
11. Easthampton (10-10)
12. McCann Tech (10-10)
13. Granby (9-9)
14. Sabis (9-11)
First round
Friday, May 30
Game 1: Hopkins at Smith Vocational, 3
Game 2: Mt. Everett at Westfield Voke, 4
Game 3: Sabis at St. Mary, 4
Game 4: Granby at Ware, 4
Game 5: McCann at Frontier, 4
Game 6: Easthampton at Dean Tech, 4
Quarterfinals
Monday, June 2
Game 7: Game 1 winner at St. Joe’s, 4
Game 8: Game 2 winner at Smith Academy, 4
At higher seed
Game 9 : Game 6 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 4
Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 4
Semifinals
Time, date, place TBA
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 10 winner
Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner
Finals
Saturday or Sunday, June 7-8
Place, time TBA
Semifinal winners

Softball
Division 1
1. Minnechaug (18-2)
2. Amherst Regional (18-2)
3. Agawam (17-3)
4. Westfield (17-3)
5. West Springfield (13-7)
6. Chicopee (12-8)
7. Ludlow (12-8)
8. Taconic (12-8)
9. Longmeadow (11-9)
10. Chicopee Comp (10-10)
First round
Thursday, May 29
Game1: Chicopee Comp at Ludlow, 3:30
Game 2: Longmeadow at Taconic, 4
Quarterfinals
Friday, May 30
Game 3: West Springfield at Westfield, 3:30
Game 4: Chicopee at Agawam, 4
Date, time TBA
Game 5: Game 1 winner at Amherst
Game 6: Game 2 winner at Minnechaug
Semifinals
At Elms College, dates, times TBA
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Finals
Saturday, June 7
At Elms College
Game 9: Semifinal winners, TBA

Division 2
1. Drury (17-3)
2. Palmer (16-4)
3. Hampshire Regional (14-4)
4. Monson (16-3)
5. Mount Greylock (11-7)
6. Southwick (13-5)
7. Wahconah (12-8)
8. Monument Mountain (12-6)
9. Easthampton (11-7)
10. Greenfield (11-9)
11. South Hadley (8-12)
12. Mahar (11-9)
13. Belchertown (8-12)
First round
Thursday, May 29
Game 1: Easthampton at Monument Mountain, 3:30
Game 2: Belchertown at Monson, 3:30
Game 3: Mahar at Mount Greylock, 3:30
Game 4: Greenfield at Wahconah, 3:30
Game 5: South Hadley at Southwick, 4
Quarterfinals
Dates, times TBA
Game 6: Game 1 winner at Drury
Game 7: Game 2 winner vs Game 3 winner
Game 8: Game 4 winner at Palmer
Game 9: Game 5 winner at Hampshire
Semifinals
At Elms College, dates, times TBA
Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner
Game 11: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner
Finals
Saturday, June 7
At Elms College
Game 12: Semifinal winners, TBA

Division 3
1. Turners Falls (17-2)
2. Pioneer Regional (17-3)
3. Mt. Everett (15-4)
4. Ware (15-3)
5. Franklin Tech (14-6)
6. Pathfinder (15-5)
7. Smith Vocational (10-8)
8. Putnam (10-10)
9. Westfield Voke (10-10)
First round
Thursday, May 29
Game 1: Westfield Voke at Putnam, 3:30
Quarterfinals
Dates, times TBA
Game 2: Game 1 winner at Turners Falls
Game 3: Franklin Tech at Ware
Game 4: Smith Voke at Pioneer Regional
Game 5: Pathfinder at Mt. Everett
Semifinals
At Elms College, dates, times TBA
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Finals
Saturday, June 7
At Elms College
Game 8: Semifinal winners, TBA