AMHERST — One comeback against Greenfield ace Olivia Joy is a difficult proposition. But two comebacks proved too difficult of a task for the Hampshire Regional softball team.
For the first time since 2013, the Western Massachusetts Division 2 Tournament will have a new champion as a result.
The four-time defending champion Raiders received an opening statement from Greenfield’s Samantha Smith, and were unable to keep up with a blistering performance from Joy on the mound. Top-seeded Greenfield exorcised its semifinal demons from a year ago, when it was soundly beaten by rival Turners Falls in Division 3. The Green Wave showcased its all-around game to defeat No. 5 Hampshire, 5-1, Thursday at Sortino Field on the campus of UMass.
Greenfield (18-2) advanced to Saturday’s Division 2 title game, where it will meet No. 3 Wahconah (16-6) at 1:30 p.m. back at UMass. Wahconah defeated No. 3 Hoosac Valley, 14-2, in the other semifinal Thursday.
“We’re a young team,” said Hampshire coach Kevin Kavanaugh, who had four eighth-graders and a freshman in his starting lineup. “They weren’t nervous by any means. But when you hit that first bump in the road, it takes a bit to get over that.”
Hampshire fell behind in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Smith went yard with an outside pitch from Hampshire pitcher Emily Halket, driving it to deep right center field. The blast cleared the fence for a solo home run that put Greenfield out front, 1-0.
“Getting ahead, especially that early in the game, that’s a big boost for our team and (Joy),” Smith said. “It’s great to get off to a good start.”
Joy cruised through the first three innings, setting Hampshire down in order the first time through its order.
The Red Raiders (11-9) finally broke through in the top of the fourth when Maggie Rubeck led off with a single and eventually scored on a two-out bloop single by Katelyn Labrie to tie the game 1-1. Joy escaped further damage, striking out Brooke Kavanaugh with runners at the corners to keep her side level.
“I wasn’t worried when we fell behind because this team has tremendous fight and desire,” Kavanaugh said. “I’ve said all year long, they can be down and they have that mindset that they’re going to come back.”
Hampshire may have had new life after scoring its first run, but Greenfield made sure it was short-lived. Lizzy Howland and Kirsten Ward smacked singles, and an error on the throw in on Ward’s base hit got away, allowing Howland to move up to third base. Ward stole second base, and the Wave regained its lead thanks to a Raegan Hickey sacrifice fly to left that plated Howland for a 2-1 advantage.
Giving Joy the lead for a second time proved to be too much for the Red Raiders. The junior right-hander retired nine of the 10 batters she faced in the final three innings, with the lone runner to reach coming on an error in the sixth.
“She wanted to come back and show she’s as dominant as everyone thinks she is,” Greenfield coach Rian Lovett said. “She was stellar. The speed was there, but she hit her spots today, as well.”
Kavanaugh was impressed with Joy.
“She throws two or three miles per hour faster than anything we’ve seen all year,” he said. “We play in a Division 1 league so we see good pitching but she’s throws the ball hard, no question about it.”
Clinging to a 2-1 lead, Greenfield’s offense provided more than enough insurance thanks to a big sixth inning. On the third time through the lineup, the Wave got to work with two outs. Audrey Bresciano and Smith singled to extend the inning, and Kelsey Richardson made it 3-1 with an RBI single right back up the middle.
A wild pitch enabled Smith to scamper home for another run, and Howland followed with her second hit of the night, an RBI single, that gave the top seed plenty of cushion up 5-1.
“We’re a good hitting team,” said Lovett, whose team finished with nine hits in the win. “I think we were a little nervous because the Athol (quarterfinal) game, we didn’t hit the ball all that well. But we showed what kind of team we can be and hit the ball the way we’re capable of hitting it.”
Joy finished with nine strikeouts and just one walk while allowing a pair of singles — both coming in the fourth inning. Halket tossed a complete game, walking three in six innings of work.
It was the final game for Raiders’ senior Brielle Bergeron. She’ll play softball and dive at St. Josephy’s in Maine next season.
Greenfield 5, Hampshire 1
Hampshire 000 100 0 — 1 2 2
Greenfield 100 130 x — 5 9 1
WP—Joy LP—Halket
Records: Greenfield (18-2) Hampshire (11-9)