Lenox Bows Out in Western Mass Semis

LENOX, Mass. – For the second time in two years, the Franklin Tech softball team knocked Lenox out of the Western Massachusetts Class C Tournament.

 

Hannah Gilbert homered twice at the plate and gave up just two hits in the circle Sunday to lead the Eagles to a 16-0 win and a berth in the regional title game against top-seeded Greenfield.

 

Franklin Tech jumped on top early, scoring nine runs in the top of the first inning.

 

“Obviously, we hoped the game was going to be closer,” Lenox coach Amy Pires said. “But, right out of the gate, they were just hitting the gaps. They were hitting everywhere we weren’t.

 

“There’s really not much you can do to defend that.”

 

Gilbert hit a two-run home run to ignite the first-inning rally, which included eight Franklin Tech hits, including an RBI double by Kylee Gamache.

 

Lenox was able to avoid the big inning the rest of the way, but Franklin Tech continued to tack on runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach.

 

Meanwhile, the Millionaires mounted a couple of threats on the basepaths, but each time Gilbert was able to close the door.

 

In the second, Cassidy Flynn reached on an error and took second on a wild pitch, but Gilbert ended the inning with one of her nine strikeouts.

 

In the third, Layla Soules walked, Evelyn Julieano singled up the middle and Hailey Armold reached on an infield single to load the bases with two out. But the Eagles got a ground ball out to strand all three.

 

In the fourth, Flynn and Lexi Witherell worked back-to-back walks, but Gilbert got the next two batters on strikeouts.

 

Despite the loss, Lenox looks ahead now to the Division 5 State Tournament. In the most recent MIAA Division 5 in-season power rankings, the Millionaires were ranked 10th in the state.

 

Ironically, Franklin Tech, which beat Lenox in both the Western Mass and state tournaments in 2024, was ranked No. 7, setting up a potential Round of 16 game if those seeds hold after Sunday’s play.

 

Pires agreed that after an 18-0 start to the season, Sunday was a good opportunity for her team to face some adversity before it goes into the state tourney.

 

“This is a taste,” she said. “All these girls, especially the younger ones, this is what we’re telling them: This is what we’re going to see. So don’t be shocked if this is what our competition is going to be. So we can prepare them, mentally.”