Mounties Finish with Walk-off Loss to Monument
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. -- Say what you will about the Mount Greylock softball team, but the Mounties always keep their games interesting.June Blake's squad played one of their most entertaining games of the season on Wednesday, closing out the year with a 10-9 loss to Monument Mountain. Greylock, which ended the season on a five-game losing streak to fall to 5-13, led 5-0 after an inning and a half, trailed 9-5 after three frames, only to come back and tie the score with two runs in the top of the seventh.
The Spartans finally ended the back-and-forth affair with a single run in the bottom of the seventh, however, to walk off with a big win at home. The Mounties brought their bats on Wednesday, outhitting Monument 13-9 in the game. Their defense made three errors, however, which allowed the hosts the chance to score six unearned runs.
Junior Alyssa Mangiardi led the Greylock offense, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and one run scored. Eighth-grader Miranda Voller also had a big day, going 2 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Junior Sierra Holland also chipped in with two hits and two runs batted in.
Sophomore Alexis Bushika went the distance, allowing four earned runs and four walks with three strikeouts to take the loss for the Mounties.
While her team's final record wasn't what Blake had hoped for, the rookie head coach has to be excited with the potential of this Greylock team. All seven of the Mounties' top hitters, all of which batted over .300 this season, will be back next season, as well as the leaders in runs, RBI and hits. Junior captains Michaela DiNicola and Caitie Benoit will also return to provide much-needed leadership and if the Mounties can clean up things on defense, they should be ready to make a run at a winning season next year.
Bushika will return to the circle, where she had a terrific season despite a final record of 5-13. She started every game and threw every pitch for Greylock this year, logging 124 innings with 86 Ks and only 36 walks. Of the 110 runs she allowed this year, only 45 of them were earned runs.