TURNERS FALLS – It took a few innings for Greenfield No. 2’s bats to heat up, but once they got going they were tough to stop. 

Taking on Mohawk on Thursday, Greenfield found itself tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the fourth but it didn’t have a hit to its name. 

That changed when Chase Zraunig got on with a single and Wade Bardwell and Bodie Burke followed with back-to-back singles, Burke’s driving in Zraunig to give Greenfield a 2-1 lead. 

Greenfield ended up putting four runs on the board in the fourth, tacked one on in the fifth before adding four insurance runs in the sixth to walk away with a 10-1 victory in a PVYBL Sandy Koufax game at Franklin County Technical School.

“It took a lot of effort today,” Zraunig said. “We had to stay focused.” 

After Burke’s hit gave Greenfield the lead in the fourth, Conner Bergeron reached on a fielder’s choice before Nick Prasol ripped a base hit to right that brought Burke in to score. Paxton Phelps walked to load the bases for Sam Bucala, who cracked a single to center that drove Bergeron and Prasol home, giving Greenfield a 5-1 lead going into the fifth. 

Zraunig got on with a single in the fifth, then worked his way over to third after Bardwell was hit by a pitch and Burke grounded to second. He made it home after Bergeron laid down a perfect bunt to give Greenfield a 6-1 lead. 

Bucala walked in the sixth for Greenfield and Max Burnette moved him over with a base hit. Bucala then stole third and reached home on a passed ball to give Greenfield a 7-1 lead. 

Nico Siano got on with a walk, Cody Yetter knocked Burnette in with a single, Zraunig then cracked a base hit to score Siano and Bardwell hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Yetter to give Greenfield a 10-1 lead going into the seventh. 

“We just have to put a lot of effort in and try,” Bergeron said. “We do well when we do that.” 

Mohawk took the game’s first lead in the second inning after Cody Dubreuil reached on a single, moved to third on an error and scored on a passed ball. 

Greenfield answered in the bottom of the frame when Bardwell walked and moved to second on a Burke ground out. Bergeron came to the plate and put down his first well-placed bunt of the game, allowing Bardwell to make it to third and then move home after Bergeron was thrown out at first, tying the game 1-1. 

Burke pitched the first five innings for Greenfield, striking out six. Zraunig and Prasol each pitched an inning to close things out, with both recording two strikeouts. 

“We’re doing pretty good so far this season,” Prasol said. “We have to work on our focus and our attitude.” 

Levi Clark tallied two hits while Jack Cusson, Brady Gancarz, Tanner Jenks and Bennet Bardwell each hit safely for Mohawk. 

Clark struck out one and didn’t allow a hit in 2 2/3 innings of work, Jenks struck out two in one inning of work before Joey Bobala and Logan Brisson closed things out on the mound for Mohawk. 

Golf

Mass. Public Links qualifier

Andy Lesenski had himself a day at a qualifying tournament for the 2023 Massachusetts Amateur Public Links that took place on Thursday at Gardner Municipal Golf Course.

Lesenski — representing the Country Club of Greenfield — finished in a tie for first place with a 1-under-par round of 70, which qualified him for the Public Links Championship, which is scheduled for Aug. 7-8 at the Olde Scotland Links in Bridgewater.

The tournament is for amateur golfers who are Mass Golf Members and are bona fide public course players at a public Mass Golf member club (a course/club that provides playing opportunities for the  general public seven days a week) and maintain an up-to-date Handicap Index not exceeding 12.0.

Keith Burch and Mark Waskiewicz, both playing out of Crumpin-Fox Club, posted identical rounds of 3-over 74 to finish in a tie for 10th, also earning spots in August’s event. The top 14 finishers and ties advanced.

CFC’s Tim Brandl (77), Mark Hubbard (79), Thomas Hutchings (82) and Shane Powell (89) also competed but fell short of the top 14 mark, as did CCG’s Justin McCloud (78), Mike Duclos Jr. (82) and Ike Purington (86).

Timmons-Messer League

Matt Deane and Tom Almstead shot the low gross of 37 in the Timmons-Messer League at the Northfield Golf Course on Wednesday. 

Dan Grybko and Norm LaCoy earned second (38). Jim Jason and Curt White carded the low net (24) while Jason Robinson and Brad Stafford settled for second (26). 

In closest to the pin Bruce Gilman won on No. 6 (four feet, nine inches) and Scott Powers won on No. 7 (8-4). Curt White was the match medalist with a 37.

Basketball

DRIVE Men’s League

Andrew Ciaglo went for 21 points and Justin Ciaglo added 18 to help Antonio’s Pizza past Smooth Operators, 89-52, in a DRIVE Men’s League contest played Wednesday at Greenfield High School.

Gehrig Brynda led Smooth Operators with 21 points, and Jacob Cancel scored 13.

In other action, Amherst Office Park received 14 points from Bryce Morcollus and 12 from Judah Kitz in a 68-56 win over Brattleboro.

Brattleboro’s Greg Fitzgerald led all scorers with 21, and Nick Gelanos tossed in 11.

Elsewhere, Chris Brown poured in 36 points and Ben Johnson notched 20 in No Name’s 91-63 thumping of The Cream.

Jake Bihler registered 15 points for The Cream.

Adult softball

Pioneer Women’s League

Kendra Ouimette had four hits and three RBIs while Ali Williams knocked three hits and two RBIs in Conway’s 13-5 win over Goshen on Thursday in a Pioneer Valley Women’s Softball League contest. 

Rachel Murphy had three hits and an RBI while Emily Loux had four hits in the loss. 

]]>