Just a week ago, the South Hadley and Frontier softball teams met in their regular-season finales, knowing that there was a strong possibility of meeting in the Western Massachusetts Class B semifinals a handful of days later. And after the No. 3 Tigers and No. 2 Redhawks earned decisive wins in their respective quarterfinal bouts, sure enough, they were back on the diamond on Sunday – battling it out for a spot in the Class B championship.

Frontier came away with a 4-2 win back on May 19, but it was South Hadley that exacted revenge on Memorial Day weekend, as Ella Schaeffer struck out 16 Frontier batters en route to a 2-1 Tigers triumph in South Deerfield on Sunday.

The Redhawks entered the bottom of the seventh down 2-0 until Raine Wonsey blasted a solo home run that spoiled Schaeffer’s shutout. However she slammed the door shut after that to secure South Hadley the win.

Following two scoreless innings to start the day, the Tigers came to bat in the top of the third and got things going. Natalie Quinn drew a walk, Karli Carmody ripped a hit then Violet Carillon took ball four to start the frame, loading the bases and bringing up Sophia Butler. Butler cracked a two-run single that brought Quinn and Carmody home to put South Hadley ahead 2-0 – a lead it would not squander.

Those two runs were all Schaeffer (zero walks) needed, as the senior ace mowed through the Redhawks lineup until the Wonsey solo shot. Ashley Taylor, Skyler Steele and Sophia Pinardi all hit singles for Frontier.

South Hadley will meet No. 1 Hampshire for the Class B title on Tuesday, while Frontier now awaits its final seeding in the MIAA Division 4 state tournament.

No. 1 Hampshire 11, No. 4 Taconic 1 — The top seed in Class B ensured the Thunder they would have no chance on Sunday afternoon, as the Raiders ripped off all 11 of their runs in the first three innings – including a seven-run second – to run away with a semifinal victory in Westhampton.

CC Thayer enjoyed a home run and four-RBI day, Teagan Charles had three hits, two RBIs and scored twice, Ryanne Dubay added a pair of hits and two RBIs while Rachel Hickox, Caroline Payson, Kalin Dubay, Chelsea Vanasse and Raegan Dubay all hit safely in the win.

Ryanne Dubay gave up only one hit, three walks and struck out five. The lone run she surrendered wasn’t earned. Hampshire takes on South Hadley in the title tilt, scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Westfield State University.

Class D semis

No. 2 Hoosac Valley 12, No. 3 Hopkins 2 – The Hurricanes handled the Golden Hawks in the Class D semifinal round on Monday, booking a spot in the sectional final thanks to a 10-run win in Williamstown.

Hoosac Valley will play top-seeded Turners Falls in the Class D championship Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Westfield State University.

Hopkins (16-4) now awaits its MIAA Division 5 state tournament seed and draw. 

Baseball

Class B semis

No. 2 Taconic 8, No. 3 Belchertown 1 — If it weren’t for a five-run first inning, the Orioles hung toe-to-toe with Berkshire County powerhouse Taconic in the Class B semifinals on Saturday.

Belchertown ran into a hot pitcher in Taconic’s Connor Paronto, as he allowed just one hit and three walks on six strikeouts. Josh Misiaszek delivered the lone Os hit, a scorching double that brought Thatcher Rudnik to the plate. Kamden Houle (two) and Jake Waller recorded walks for Belchertown, while Waller and Ryan Gould split time on the mound.

Next up for Belchertown (13-5), who saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, is the Division 3 state tournament. No date, time or opponent has been announced yet.

Class D semis

No. 3 Hopkins 7, No. 2 Ware 4 — The Golden Hawks pulled off the upset against 18-1 Ware in the Class D semis on Saturday night, going to Ware and beating the back-to-back defending Western Mass. champs under the lights on their home field.

Hopkins lost to Ware 3-1 back on April 28, and returned the favor with a stellar team performance to punch its ticket to the championship bout against No. 1 Pioneer, who is 20-0. The Golden Hawks have played the Panthers tough twice this season, losing 8-5 on opening day and again 6-4 on April 16.

The Class D championship is scheduled for Wednesday at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke, the same place Hopkins knocked off Pioneer in the Division 5 state semifinals back in 2023.

Girls tennis

Class C finals

No. 2 Lenox 4, No. 1 PVCICS 1 — The Dragons’ undefeated season came to a close in the Class C title match on Saturday afternoon, as they fell 4-1 in a hard-fought battle with the second-seeded Millionaires.

PVCICS entered the match 18-0. Lien Powers-Moran picked up the lone win for the Dragons, earning a 6-4, 6-4 triumph at third singles. Every other match was relatively tight, with Elisa Shinn (first singles) dropping a 6-2, 7-5 bout and Eloise Tuleja and Kendall Christensen falling 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles.

PVCICS will now turn its attention to the Division 5 state tournament, where it enters as the No. 9 seed. The Dragons host No. 24 Advanced Math & Science Academy on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Youth baseball

Frontier 6, Amherst 5 — Frontier came out on top of a back-and-forth contest that was called after five innings of play in a steady light rain on Friday night at Amherst Middle School.

The ‘Canes took an early lead in the first off hits from Gus Garrett Peltier, Cyrus Arwade and Daniel Lebron, and Oliver Howard held the Redhawks scoreless through two. Frontier stormed back in the top of the third to take the lead 3-2 only to have Amherst answer right back with three in the bottom half of the frame with the runs scored by the same first inning trio of Garrett Peltier, Arwade and Lebron.

As conditions worsened in the fifth, Frontier seized back the lead with three runs and closed out the game with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth to take the win 6-5, avenging an early season 16-9 loss to the Hurricanes. The game was called partway through the top of the sixth as the rain intensified.