H.S. Roundup: Frontier softball’s seventh-inning surge seals win over Belchertown

BELCHERTOWN — In a game absolutely oozing with playoff atmosphere, the Frontier Regional softball team scored nine runs in the seventh inning to come back and defeat Belchertown, 13-6, on Friday afternoon in an independent matchup.

With the win, Frontier stayed unbeaten (15-0). In the latest MIAA power rankings, Frontier came in at No. 4 in the state in Division 4. Frontier proved to be unflappable in the seventh inning. In dramatic fashion, Belchertown took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Orioles (9-4) were three outs away from a win.

“It’s just been part of our practices as part of our DNA and part of the personalities of this group,” Frontier coach Gary Deane said. “We got four captains, and they lead that idea of we are never out of game. We can catch up at any time.”

Belchertown also showed its perseverance, overcoming a 4-0 deficit to take the lead. The Orioles are in the midst of one of their best seasons in recent memory. Belchertown is 23rd in the Division 3 power rankings.

“It was fun,” Belchertown coach Mike LaFayette said. “Both teams. I loved the hitting. A good team like that with a good pitcher on the mound.”

The nine-run seventh had contributions up and down the lineup for Frontier. Adelaide Ehle hit an RBI single to tie the game, 5-5. From there, Lexi Hawkins helped her own cause with two RBI single. Another run scored on a wild pitch.

“It was amazing,” Hawkins said. “I was so proud of everyone.”

Abigail Schreiber contributed an RBI bunt single to score another run for Frontier. Skyler Steele then connected on a three-run homer that could still be traveling through the Belchertown skyline. The homer approached another fence beyond the field’s fence.

“It was a shot,” LaFayette said. “That was insane. I’ve never seen anybody hit the ball that far.”

Steele went 3-for-5 with a single and two homers with four RBI. Frontier had five hits in the seventh inning alone. Steele has 11 home runs this season. The comeback was a group effort for the Redhawks.

“Just having trust in your teammates just as much as you trust yourself,” Steele said. “I want everyone every single one of them up there to do just as great as I want myself to do.”

Hawkins (nine strikeouts) got the start for Raine Wonsey, who will miss some time with an injury. The eighth grader started strong in the circle but ran into some trouble in the middle innings.

“Once they started getting hits, I got nervous,” Hawkins said. “But then my teammates helped me focus more and pitch strikes when it got tough.”

The Orioles got some power on offense from starting pitcher Lila Roy, who homered twice for Belchertown. Roy’s first homer gave Belchertown the lead in the fourth, while her second tied the game in the sixth. The junior had flashes in the circle with 11 strikeouts but did give up nine walks.

“This really prepared me for any Western Mass. games,” Roy said.

Roy finished 2-for-3 with two homers and an intentional walk in the bottom of the seventh inning. The two home runs came in big moments for the Orioles.

“I didn’t think about it. I just got up there and I was so energized. I knew I could do it,” Roy said. “If I could get contact on the ball, I knew it was going to go.”

Riley Tine scored Haly Doucette-Kaplan with an RBI double down the right field line in the first inning for the Redhawks. Sadie Nichols later scored on an error for Frontier. Steele’s third inning homer gave Frontier a 3-0 lead.

Tine made the play of the game in the bottom of the third inning. On a popped bunt attempt, the spry catcher used a full extension dive to catch the ball drifting away along the foul line.

Sophia Mitus’ two-run double got Belchertown on the scoreboard in the third inning. Roy’s first home run in the bottom of the fourth cut Frontier’s lead down to 4-3. Abby Almeida had an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh for the Orioles.

Kaiya Cavanaugh added an RBI for the Orioles.

Smith Voc 18, Holyoke 17 — The Purple Knights put quite the scare into the Vikings in Friday’s barn-burner.

Holyoke scored 11 runs in the top of the fourth to go ahead 12-9, but Smith Voc managed at least two runs in each proceeding frame to take the victory.

Willow Hicks’ three-run home run catapulted the Vikings, while Addison Ducharme and Grace Sampson each smacked two hits.

Zomaris Robles (triple, two RBIs) had a strong game for Holyoke.

Northampton 13, West Springfield 1 — Eleven hits from their batting order sent the Blue Devils past the Bulldogs.

Emily Kajka had three of them (all singles) to energize Northampton in its second consecutive victory.

Baseball

Lenox 6, South Hadley 5 — Friday’s contest needed 10 innings, with the Millionaires winning with a four-run final frame.

The score was deadlocked at 2-2 from the third inning onward until both teams combined for seven runs in the 10th.

Noah Carillon and Lincoln Belsky recorded extra-base hits for the Tigers.

Ludlow 10, Amherst 3 — The Hurricanes ran into a hot pitcher on the mound as the Lions’ Ryan Sargent mowed down 11 batters in 6 2/3 innings.

Oscar Reich registerd two RBIs for Amherst.

Tantasqua 6, Belchertown 0 — The Orioles’ losing streak stretched to four in the shutout on the road.

Girls lacrosse

Amherst 20, Granby 14 — Both teams turned the scoring on in the second half, combining for 20 goals in the final two quarters of play.

Ava Carey was the player of the game, tallying 11 goals for the ‘Canes. No other player on either team had more than three goals.

Mylin Laliberte and McKenna Zumbruski each potted hat tricks for the Rams.

Belchertown 17, Monson 6 — Make it four wins in a row for the Orioles after easing past the Mustangs on the road.

Belchertown’s three-headed monster of Lia Pikul, Aubrey McCain and Piper Laurenzo totaled 14 of its 17 total strikes.

Northampton 13, Mount Greylock 12 — The Blue Devils withstood the Mounties second-half surge to win a huge Valley Wheel tilt.

Northampton led 6-1 at halftime, but Mount Greylock found the back of the net 11 times in the final two frames to make Friday’s clash a memorable one.

Imanni Power-Greene (four goals, three assists) and Kaydence Barman (hat trick) propelled the Blue Devils on the attack.

Volleyball

West Springfield 3, Granby 0 — The Rams couldn’t get much going against the Bulldogs, losing in straight sets.

Set scores read 21-25, 19-25, 26-28.

Sci-Tech 3, Belchertown 0 — The Orioles could not win a set for the fourth time this season in the road defeat.

All three sets were close though, coming out to 20-25, 21-25 and 23-25.

Late Thursday Results

Girls lacrosse

Belchertown 8, Granby 7 — The Orioles came back to beat the Rams, off the heels of a four-goal game from Lia Pikul.

Ava Loughman netted four goals for Granby.

Baseball

Hampshire 9, Monument Mtn 8 — The Raiders won a thriller on a walk-off suicide squeeze from Joe Moro during the bottom of the seventh.

Hampshire flew out to a 6-0 lead in the first, but Monument climbed all the way back and then some to take a 8-7 advantage before the bottom of the seventh.

Jonny Angers took the win in relief for Hampshire.

Outdoor track

Amherst 96, Northampton 44 (boys) — Rajahni Conyers led the ‘Canes past the Blue Devils, winning the 100 and 200-meter races. Gus Frey (mile) and Henry Daggett (two mile) ran well in the distance events for Northampton.

Amherst 114, Northampton 30 (girls) — Nine different Hurricanes won individual events in the victory against the Blue Devils.

Julianna Albo (100, high jump, long jump) starred for Amherst with three wins.

Ella Hoogendyk (100 hurdles, triple jump) took two events for Northampton.