Sports
Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: MLB All-Star Game losing the plot at the plate
Good morning!If Ted Williams was to rise from the dead and see that Tuesday’s All Star game was decided by a “swing off,” his response wouldn’t have been suitable for print in a family newspaper. In Ted’s day, swing-offs happened at Benny Goodman concerts.
Built to last: How DRIVE Hoops became the longest-running basketball league in Western Mass.
By GARRETT COTE
GREENFIELD — Chris Brown directs traffic at the top of the key. He tells his teammate, Troy Snell, to set a down screen for Ethan Slavin. Slavin comes off of it, catches the ball and throws it right back to Brown, who rips through and attacks the paint. Brown comes to a jump stop and pump fakes.
Bulletin board: Evelyn King’s late 3-pointer lifts Athol to OT win in Franklin Tech Summer League (PHOTOS)
By JEFF LAJOIE
Evelyn King drained the game-winning 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining in overtime, lifting the Athol girls basketball team to a thrilling 35-34 victory over Hopkins Academy in a Franklin Tech Summer Basketball League contest on Thursday night in Turners Falls.
Legion baseball: Caleb Thomas, Greenfield Post 81 close season in style with dominant win over Aldenville
By JEFF LAJOIE
It would’ve been easy for the Greenfield Post 81 Senior American Legion team to call it a summer. With one game remaining in their season on Wednesday night, Post 81 was already eliminated from postseason consideration with a lengthy trip to Chicopee to play Aldenville Post 337 at Szot Park on tap.
Bulletin board: Raine Wonsey, Menace advance in Franklin County Summer League
By JEFF LAJOIE
Raine Wonsey struck out 14 in six innings of work, helping sixth-seeded Menace edge No. 3 Magic, 3-2, in a Franklin County Summer Softball League quarterfinal round playoff contest on Wednesday at Murphy Park.
Early errors cost Greenfield Post 81 in loss to red-hot Belchertown (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
GREENFIELD — Make it nine wins in a row for the Belchertown Post 239 Senior American Legion baseball team, as it scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to an 11-3 victory over Greenfield Post 81 on Tuesday evening at Vets Field.
Bulletin board: Valley Storm crushes competition, captures Greylock Thunder title
By JEFF LAJOIE
A dominant effort in the championship game propelled the Valley Storm 14U Black softball team to a title at the Greylock Thunder Summer Storm Tournament over the weekend in North Adams.
A Dream Summer: Greenfield 8U Ducks make history with state title win
By JEFF LAJOIE
A dream summer continued for the Greenfield 8U All-Stars on Monday night.
UMass enters MAC while conference faces uncertainty
By RYAN AMES
All things are not quiet within UMass athletics’ new conference home.
Backyard baseball, reimagined: Greenfield kids launch their own Wiffle ball league
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
Greenfield’s Toby Campbell and his friends were trying to figure out ways to have fun this summer.
Medal haul: West squads strike gold, silver and bronze at Bay State Games
By RYAN AMES
Medals were abundant for area athletes over the weekend during the Bay State Games competition, as all five West teams that competed finished with some hardware to take home.
Bulletin board: Andy Lesenski, Terry Boyce repeat as club champs at the Country Club of Greenfield
By JEFF LAJOIE
Andy Lesenski’s dominance continued over the weekend.
Victory Lap with Jessica Lapachinski: 60,000 Thoughts a Day — Make Yours Count
Bulletin Board: Greenfield Post 81 Junior Legion improves to 11-1 with win over Belchertown
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
Hunter Donahue and Hayden Girard each cracked two hits as the Greenfield Post 81 Junior Legion squad improved to 11-1 on the season with a 13-6 victory victory over Belchertown on Thursday at Vets Field.
Downes does it again: 19-year-old from Longmeadow makes Mass. Am history at GreatHorse
By GARRETT COTE
HAMPDEN — After shaking hands with his opponent, Woodland Golf Club’s Patrick Kilcoyne, on the 12th green, Ryan Downes hopped on the back of a golf cart and took the long ride up toward the clubhouse with his caddie — the two all smiles.
New era begins: Whitmore looks to spark Athol girls basketball revival
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
Just like their counterparts in Orange, the Athol girls basketball team will have a new coach next winter.
Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: Harasymiak Hits the Reset Button — and the Clock’s Already Ticking
Good morning!
Bulletin Board: Westford’s Maddie Smith wins 92nd Massachusetts Girls Junior Amateur Championship
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
The semifinals and championship match of the 92nd Massachusetts Girls Amateur Championship took place on Thursday at Crumpin-Fox Club, with Westford’s Maddie Smith taking home the title.
117th Mass. Amateur: Hometown kid Downes survives thriller, sets up title match with Kilcoyne at GreatHorse
By GARRETT COTE
HAMPDEN — The hometown kid has a chance to make history at the 117th Massachusetts Amateur Golf Championship — again.
Bay State Games 2025: West softball repeats as champions with 11-7 win over Coastal
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
DEVENS — The West softball team is leaving the Bay State Games with a gold medal for the second straight year.
Your Daily Puzzles
An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."
A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.
Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.
Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.
Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
