ORANGE — A fast start got the Franklin Tech baseball team back in the win column on Thursday. 

Playing Mahar on the road, the Eagles scored two runs in the first inning and two in the second and their pitching did the rest, as Franklin Tech held on to earn a 5-0 Bi-County League North victory. 

“Any win is a good win,” Eagles coach Dan Prasol said. “[Mahar pitcher Matt Vitello] pitched very well. Give him a lot of credit. He’s a competitor.” 

Vitello pitched all seven innings for the Sens (0-11), holding a tough Franklin Tech lineup to 10 hits while striking out four and walking three. 

“Matt struggled to get going the first couple innings but after that he settled down,” Mahar coach Dan Guertin said. “He only gave up one  [run] over the last five innings which was good to see.” 

George Gutierrez drove in a run in the first and Gavin Crossman added an RBI single to give the Eagles (8-5) a 2-0 lead after one. Brody Hicks came through in the second with a double that knocked in a pair of runs and in the fourth, Hunter Donahue blasted a double to the fence that made it a 5-0 game. 

Mahar made things interesting in the sixth, as Vitello knocked a base hit before Jackson Burnham and Clayde Thompson walked to load the bases, but Levi Clark came into the game on the mound for the Eagles and got the final two outs to end the inning without any damage done. 

With a big game against Athol coming up on Sunday, Prasol complimented his team for staying in the moment and fighting to earn a win Thursday. 

“Hats off to Levi Clark coming in during a big spot and getting two big outs,” Prasol said. “I’m proud of the kids for not looking too far ahead and competing.”

Mason Lehtomaki tossed the first three innings for Franklin Tech, striking out three and giving up one hit. Gavin Crossman struck out two over 2 1/3 innings work before Clark shut things down in the sixth and seventh. 

Hicks tallied three hits, Donahue added a single while Tyler Yetter, Zaydrien Alamed, Tucker Hicks and Cody Yetter each hit safely for the Eagles. 

Freeland Ringer tallied a hit for Mahar while eighth grader Emmett Elwood knocked his first career varsity hit in the loss. For a young Senator team, Guertin said he’s hoping to see progress each time out, and his young players have been doing that of late. 

“I just want to see guys keep hitting the ball and showing growth,” Guertin said. “Take a guy like Emmett, at the beginning of the year you’re just hoping he walks. Now he’s up there and made contact during each of his at bats. We had another eighth grader who made contact with a few and a seventh grader who’s been getting better. We just have to keep building. Matt has done a great job of being a leader and staying positive. He deserves a lot of credit for that.” 

Greenfield 13, Athol 4 — After falling to the Bears in the first meeting of the season, the Green Wave got their revenge by earning an independent victory on the road on Thursday. 

Arthur Fitzpatrick got the win on the mound for Greenfield, striking out 10 in six innings work. Urijah Jenness knocked two hits and drove in three, Luca Siano cracked two hits and drove in two runs while Conner Bergeron, Caleb Thomas and Logan Moore hit safely in the victory. 

Logan Cormier blasted a three-run home run in the third while Eli Wein struck out six in relief for Athol. 

Turners 9, Smith Academy 2 — Jackson Cogswell cracked four hits, one a double, and drove in a run while Ledwin Villafana homered and drove in three for the Thunder, which took down the Falcons in Hatfield Thursday. 

Trevor Lyons singled twice, doubled and knocked in two runs, Ethan Eichorn recorded two hits and an RBI, Nathaniel Trinque doubled and drove in a run, Kainen Stevens had a hit and an RBI while Brody Girard cracked two hits in the winning effort. Stevens went the distance on the hill, striking out 12 and scattering six hits for Turners. 

Softball

Franklin Tech 8, Frontier 1 — The Eagles showed their power against the Redhawks on Thursday, hitting five home runs to take down Frontier in an independent contest in South Deerfield. 

The game was called two pitches into the seventh inning due to lightning. 

Alison George and Hannah Gilbert each put two over the fence, George finishing with four RBIs while both of Gilbert’s homers were solo shots. Lindsey Taylor added a solo home run as well for Tech. Brayleigh Burgh tallied a hit and an RBI, Kylee Gamache, Cordelia Guerin and Gianna DiSciullo each hit safely while Gilbert struck out eight and allowed just two hits in the circle in the win. 

Delaney Fifield and Addie Ehle had the hits for Frontier, with Raine Wonsey striking out seven and Ashley Taylor adding two strikeouts in the circle during the loss. 

Mount Greylock 8, Mohawk Trail 3 — Emmalee Inman knocked a trio of hits for the Warriors, which fell to the Mounties in an independent contest in Williamstown on Thursday. 

Riley Dyer doubled while Grace Stevens struck out two in the circle for Mohawk Trail. 

Taconic 14, Athol 0 — The Thunder scored 10 runs in the first to take down the Bears in Pittsfield on Thursday. 

Northampton 22, Mahar 0 — Erin Parse had the lone hit for the Senators on Thursday, as the Blue Devils scored four in the first, eight in the second, six in the third and four in the fifth to take down Mahar in a Franklin County League East contest in Orange. 

Lexi Ares struck out five for the Sens. 

Boys tennis

Frontier 4, Chicopee Comp 1 — In a match featuring a pair of teams with only one loss, the Redhawks swept singles to move to 10-1 with a 4-1 triumph in Chicopee Thursday. 

Casey Bestler won in No. 1 singles (6-1, 6-1), Brayden Reipold took No. 2 singles (6-0, 6-1), Oliver Brown came back to earn a win in No. 3 singles (7-5, 6-2) while Xavier Fripp and Liam Wells picked up a win in No. 1 doubles (6-2, 7-5) for Frontier. 

Greenfield 5, PV Christian 0 — Palmer King took No. 1 singles (6-1, 6-0), Shane Toomey won in No. 2 singles (6-3, 6-0) while Colby Shepard won via forfeit in No. 3 singles for the Wave, which earned a road win on Thursday. 

Sawyer Thurber and Devonne Brown earned a win in No. 1 doubles (6-1, 6-2) and Wyeth Miller and Julian Cavanaugh won via forfeit in No. 2 doubles for Greenfield. 

Boys volleyball

Longmeadow 3, Frontier 1 — Tegan Dexter smashed 14 kills and came up with nine digs for the Redhawks, which fell to the Lancers 25-19, 25-19, 18-25, 25-15 at Goodnow Gymnasium Thursday. 

“We celebrated our seniors tonight,” Frontier coach Courtney Parent said. “Congrats to our six seniors. The boys worked hard tonight and we took a set off a tough Longmeadow team.”

Tavo Vincent-Warner distributed 30 assists, Nate Rivera tallied seven kills and 15 digs, Will Reading put down seven kills, Will Petrin put down six kills while Jonathan Olvera added a kill in the loss. 

Belchertown 3, Athol 1 — The Orioles earned a 25-21, 25-15, 14-25, 25-19 win over the Bears on Thursday at Mallet Gymnasium.