SOUTH DEERFIELD — The Old Colony baseball team refused to go away against Frontier in the MIAA Division 4 Round of 32 on Monday. 

The 16th-seeded Redhawks built a 4-0 lead over the 17th-seeded Cougars after three innings but Old Colony locked in on the mound from there and prevented Frontier from scoring another run. 

The Cougars scored two in the second and made it a one-run game in the top of the seventh, but the Redhawks didn’t allow the game-tying run to score, as Frontier advanced to the Round of 16 with a 4-3 victory. 

“We knew they were going to be right there with us,” Redhawks coach Chris Williams said. “We could see they were going to be a good team. We had a lot of time to prepare for them and our guys went out and played as good of a baseball game as they’ve played all year.” 

Frontier (13-8) advanced to face top-seeded Pittsfield in the Berkshires on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

The Redhawks received a strong performance on the mound from Carter Miller, who went six innings, striking out one and giving up eight hits. Old Colony was able to get the bats going in the seventh, leading off with a single and following with a double. Williams made the move to sophomore Joey Hutkoski at that point, with the Hawks clinging to a 4-2 lead. 

Hutkoski recorded a pop out, gave up a sacrifice fly and ended the game with a groundout to first to preserve the save. 

“Carter threw awesome against East Longmeadow [in the final game of the regular season],” Williams said. “We were feeling confident in what he was going to bring today and he did his job. Just pumped for him. I told Joey before the game that we might need him in an enormous spot and we did. He answered the call. Our defense played well today behind them.” 

Frontier took advantage of sloppy play in the field to take the opening lead of the game in the second. Kaden James reached on an error, Henry Drinker then reached on an error and Ben Caron came through with an RBI single. After a throw to catch Caron stealing second sailed into centerfield, Drinker scored to make it a 2-0 game. 

Jack Cusson and Brady Poreda opened the third with singles, then Kaden James drove in Cusson with a base hit before Drinker scored Poreda with a single to give the Redhawks their 4-0 lead after three. 

“If you put the barrel on the ball and they catch it, it is what it is,” Williams said. “When you have weak strikeouts, weak fly balls, infield pop flies, you can’t win baseball games. Today we put pressure on them all game by hitting the ball hard. I’m very pleased with our offensive performance today.” 

Old Colony got two back in the fourth. Chase LaFountain and Kyle Boucher hit back-to-back singles and an error on a bunt by Alex Branco allowed LaFountain to score. Cole Correia followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Boucher and cut the lead to 4-2. 

The Cougars threatened again in the fifth. Camden Vallee led off with a double, Aiden Deree singled and stole second to put runners on second and third for Marc Donati, who grounded back to Miller. Miller threw home and James applied the tag just before Vallee reached the plate to save a run. Donati stole second and Williams intentionally walked LaFountain to load the bases with two outs, with Miller getting a flyout to end the inning without any damage done. 

Old Colony put runners on first and second in the top of the sixth but Miller forced a flyout to keep it a 4-2 game going into the bottom of the frame. 

Pittsfield (17-4) presents a tough challenge for the Redhawks, but one that Williams said his team is ready for. 

“We’ve had Pittsfield circled because we were ready to face them in Western Mass. too,” Williams said. “We’re very excited for that opportunity. We’re going up with nothing to lose. They’re going to take us lightly as some little Valley team. We’re looking to go on their turf and shock the world.” 

No. 7 East Bridgewater 4, No. 26 Hampshire 0 — The Raiders were held off the scoreboard in the defeat to the Vikings, putting an end to their season in the Division 4 Round of 32.

Colin Hogan pitched well for Hampshire (six innings, six hits, four walks, three strikeouts) and its middle infielders of Riley Florek (shortstop) and Jacob Sicard (second baseman) performed admirably on defense.

Joe Moro, Vynce Carr and Tom Moore cracked hits for the Raiders, which rounded out the season 10-10.

Softball

Div. 4 Round of 32

No. 9 South Hadley 2, No. 24 Northbridge 0 — Ella Schaefer sat down 17 Northbridge batters and surrendered only one hit as the Tigers snuck out the win.

South Hadley scored both runs during the opening frame, then held on the rest of the way to set up a duel in the Round of 16 against No. 8 Frontier.

Ryley McMahon had the Tigers’ lone RBI in this one. South Hadley managed five hits altogether yet still snatched the victory.

No. 8 Frontier 11, No. 25 Ayer Shirley 2 — Lu Fifield and Liv Machon swung the bat well for the Redhawks in the win as the duo combined for seven hits and five RBIs. Fifield, in particular, went 3-for-4 with a home run.

Ashley Taylor smacked two hits as well, and tossed a complete game from the circle with three strikeouts, as Frontier eased into the Round of 16.

No. 1 Hampshire 21, No. 32 Upper Cape Cod 0 (5) — A 10-run fourth inning enacted the mercy rule in this one as the Raiders had no problem moving on to the Round of 16.

Ryanne Dubay (2-for-2) and CC Thayer (4-for-5) totaled eight RBIs for Hampshire, which managed 18 hits in the blowout victory. Dubay was dominant from the rubber once again, fanning 11 opposing batters and allowing just one hit.

The Raiders will host No. 16 Clinton in the Round of 16 on Wednesday.

Girls tennis

Div. 2 Round of 16

No. 5 Amherst 4, No. 12 Sharon 1 — The ‘Canes dominated singles play to defend their home courts and advance to the quarterfinals on Monday afternoon in Amherst. Next up for the Hurricanes is the winner of No. 4 Hingham and No. 20 Ursuline Academy in the state quarterfinals.

Katie Gromacki won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, Emma Learned-Miller earned a 6-2, 6-1 triumph at second singles and Mahima Ganesan notched a 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 3 singles.

Daniella Sherman and Aliya Osman also added a win for Amherst, grabbing a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles.

Div. 3 Round of 16

No. 21 Bishop Fenwick 5, No. 5 Belchertown 0 — The Orioles were shut out for just the second time all year on Monday in a season-ending defeat while the Crusaders continued their run of upsets. Bishop Fenwick took down No. 12 Norwell in the Round of 32, 3-2.

Mia Corish was the only Belchertown player to push their match to three sets, ultimately falling by scores of 4-6, 7-5, 13-11.

The Orioles concluded their sectional title-winning season with a 19-3 record.

Boys lacrosse

Div. 4 Round of 32

No. 5 Ipswich 14, No. 28 South Hadley 1 — The Tigers knew their task was tall heading to Ipswich on Monday, and the top-five seed in Division 4 left no doubt and sent South Hadley home to end its season.

South Hadley ended its season with a 3-16 record against one of the toughest schedules in western Massachusetts, while Ipswich next hosts No. 12 Nipmuc Regional on a date and time to be announced.