In fast-pitch softball, a team's fortunes rise and fall with the pitcher. A team with a pitcher who can pound the strike zone and keep hitters guessing will usually be successful, even if the hitting and fielding are shaky.
This season, Leland & Gray has a power pitcher in Elizabeth Symanski, and aside from one bad inning, she dominated Bellows Falls in a 12-3 win in Townshend last Thursday.
Bellows Falls, which got blanked by Black River, 12-0, on April 27, got seven hits off Symanski, but BF couldn't capitalize on most of them as she struck out 12 and walked only five.
What kept the Rebels in control of the game was that their fielders made most of their plays, and the Terriers didn't. A nice catch in the third inning by Rebels right fielder Leah Gokey ended a BF rally in the third, while Symanski pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
Meanwhile, BF pitcher Chelsea Wilder had trouble throughout. The Rebels scored six runs in the first inning without a hit, thanks to seven wild pitches, two hit batters, two passed balls, four stolen bases, and a sacrifice fly.
Two more runs scored in the second inning, again on hit batters and wild pitches (two each) and an error. The Rebels didn't get their first hit until the third inning, when Jordan Gouger slugged a two-run homer over the left field fence.
Wilder keyed the BF third with a two-run triple, but that was the only inning where the Terriers got runs.
The Rebels are starting to move up the Division III standings, as they improved to 4-2 with the win. The Terriers fell to 1-5.
Softball
• Symanski had another dominant game for Leland & Gray on April 30 as the Rebels rolled to a 17-1 win over Woodstock. She struck out 17 and walked two in throwing a two-hitter in the six-inning contest cut short by the mercy rule. Jackie Hazard, Kate McAllister, and Gouger all had a pair of hits. Hazard also scored four runs and drove in two.
• Brattleboro pitcher Rissa Smith filled in for team ace Kayla Wood, still struggling with a sore back, against Drury in North Adams, Mass., on April 30. Smith threw five strong innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth. With the game on the line, Wood got the final five outs for the save, and a 6-5 win for the Colonels.
Bailey Paige had two hits, including a triple, and two RBIs to lead the Colonels. Maddy Derosia also drove in two run as she, Lou Lou Terwilliger, Daisy Giroux, and Smith each finished with one hit.
Wood was still ailing last Saturday when the Colonels hosted Wahconah, but she went the distance in a 4-2 loss. Wood walked three and struck out six in holding the Warriors to six hits. However, her teammates didn't give her much help. The Colonels were held to four hits, and a sloppy fifth inning gave Wahconah three runs to take the lead for good.
McKinlie Carpenter, Lou Lou Terwilliger, Rissa Smith and Maddy Derosia each had one hit for the 5-1 Colonels. Derosia's hit drove in two runs in the second inning.
• Black River doubled up Twin Valley, 18-9, in Wilmington last Thursday. Sammy Cunningham-Darrah went three for five with two singles and a triple, while Colton Butler had a single, a triple, and drove in three runs. Pitcher Abigail Putnam lost in her debut on the mound, but drove in two runs with her bat.
Last Saturday, the Wildcats broke a three-game losing streak with a 21-16 win at Poultney. Twin Valley finished the week at 4-3.
Baseball
• Winning pitcher Drew Barnum threw a three-hitter as Leland & Gray beat Woodstock, 4-1, on April 30. Zac Wilkins and Corey Nystrom each had two hits for the Rebels. Nystrom drove in two runs, while Wade Beattie and Barnum each added an RBI single.
Leland & Gray is sitting near the top of the Division III standings with a 4-1 record.
• Twin Valley played its home opener on May 2 and came away with a 14-9 win over Black River. Dal Nesbitt had three hits to lead the Wildcats, while pitcher Sam Molner, Jason Moore, and Patrick Eilers combined for a six-hitter.
The Wildcats lost at Poultney, 14-3, last Saturday to fall to 3-2 on the season.
• Bellows Falls beat Green Mountain in Chester, 9-1, on May 1 to improve to 4-2 on the season.
Tennis
• The Brattleboro girls started the week on April 27 at the BUHS courts with a 7-0 skunking at the hands of Burr & Burton. The closest match of the day came in No. 2 doubles, as Brattleboro's Linnea Jahn and Kara Piergentili battled Eliza Breed and Kitt Sikes, and came up on the short end of a 7-6, 7-6 final score.
The Colonels bounced back with a 7-0 demolition of Mount St. Joseph at the BUHS courts last Saturday. Aidan Earley, Halie Lange, Katie Tsukamoto, and Kara Piergentili won all their singles matches, while the doubles teams of Ali Fielding and Haley Marcil and Jahn and Molly Gurney were also victorious. MSJ forfeited the No. 5 singles match. Brattleboro finished the week at 4-3.
• The Brattleboro boys also began their week on April 27 with Burr & Burton, but the Colonels prevailed in Manchester, 5-2. The top three singles players - Isaiah Ungerleider, Asa Lane and Benson May - won in straight sets, but No. 4 Tony Acevedo and No. 5 Oliver Goodman both lost on tiebreakers. The No. 1 doubles team of Lachlan Francis and Gideon May also needed a tiebreaker to win. The No. 2 match was won by forfeit by Brattleboro.
A 5-2 win over Mount Anthony on May 1 extended Brattleboro's win streak to five, a great recovery from the four straight losses that started the boys' season.
Lacrosse
• Just about every player ended up on the scoresheet as the Brattleboro girls crushed Springfield Cathedral, 16-2 in Springfield, Mass., last Friday. Maddie Rollins scored five goals and had one assist, Cassidy Stebbins had two goals and an assist, and Hannah Lynde had a pair of goals.
Lizzy Clarke chipped in with two assists, and Rachel Hill, Alex Fellows, Meghan Siggins, and Anna Gagnon-Burch each scored a goal. Meghan Kinsman and Emily Lyons also each scored their first varsity goals. Gaia Uman and Melissa Semenovich split time in goal, and each made five saves.
• The Brattleboro boys are 4-0 against Vermont teams, but they ended last week 0-3 against Massachusetts squads. Northampton came up to Natowich Field last Friday night, and beat the Colonels, 6-5, in overtime.
Brattleboro trailed 4-1 at the half, but rallied back to force OT on a pair of goals by Conner Elliott-Knaggs and Nik Rancourt. Sam Seigel scored in the first half. Ben Davis got the game-winner for Northampton in overtime, his third goal in the game. Alex Zadworny scored two and Jarad Yarde added another for the victors.
Little League
• The Pirates have started the Brattleboro Little League season undefeated at 2-0. The Athletics, Cardinals, Royals and Red Sox are tied for second with 1-1 records, while the Giants are yet winless at 0-2.
On opening day on April 27, the Pirates outslugged the Cardinals, 14-3, while the Red Sox beat the Royals 15-4 and the A's blanked the Giants, 11-0.
In the first week of play, the Cards beat Sox, 9-1, on April 29, while the Pirates took care of the Giants, 11-1, on April 30, and the Royals downed the A's, 15-4, on May 1.
BOC boat sale/swap set for May 18
• If you're looking for a canoe or kayak, or want to sell one, the Brattleboro Outing Club will have its annual boat sale/swap on Saturday, May 18, at the C.F. Church building, 80 Flat St., Brattleboro.
Those interested in selling, or trading can contact Larry McIntosh at 802-254-3666 or Lmacyak@gmail.com for early drop off. Normal drop-off is Friday, May 17, noon to 2 p.m., or 5 to 7 p.m. Drop-off time on the 18th is 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Swap time is 11:30 a.m. to noon. Sale is noon to 2 p.m. Proceeds from this consignment sale/swap underwrite the BOC summer paddling program, which is free and open to all. More information, including the schedule of paddle trips, can be found at www.brattleborooutingclub.org.