Thunder 16U Holds Off Force in Weather-Shortened Contest
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Greylock Thunder capitalized on an early offensive surge and held off a resilient Berkshire Force squad for an 11-7 victory in a game that was called after five innings because of weather in 16U division of the Battle of the Berkshires Tournament on Friday.
Greylock wasted little time getting on the board in the top of the first inning. Consecutive singles put runners on the corners before another base hit brought home the game’s first run. The Thunder continued to apply pressure as a fielder’s choice kept the inning alive and Bayleigh Tatro ripped an RBI double to left field. An ensuing sacrifice fly plated another run, giving Greylock a 4-0 advantage.
Berkshire answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. After retiring the first two Thunder batters, Greylock pitcher Avery Lane saw the Force string together quality at-bats. A single put a runner aboard before Madilyn Demary’s RBI double got Berkshire on the scoreboard. Another run-scoring single followed, trimming the deficit to 4-2 after one inning.
The Force went ahead, 5-4, in the second thanks to RBI singles from Alliah DiPietro and Mollie Crawford.
The Thunder then scored four times in the third to take the lead for good. Gianna Witek got the rally started with a double to left, and Greylock took advantage of a couple of errors and a bases-loaded walk worked by Lane to go ahead, 8-5.
Berkshire continued to battle and nearly erased the deficit in the third. The Force put runners on base with a walk and aggressive baserunning kept the pressure on. A runner crossed the plate during a steal attempt, and Berkshire added more traffic on the bases before Greylock's Lane recorded a swinging strikeout to end the threat with runners on first and second.
Greylock was able to pull away with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and one more in the fifth to go ahead, 11-7.
With weather moving into the area, the contest was called after five innings, making the result official.
The Thunder’s balanced attack, patient approach at the plate, and timely hitting proved to be enough, while the Force showed plenty of resilience by battling back throughout the evening and keeping the pressure on until the final out of the weather-shortened game.
The Force plays the first of three games to complete pool play on Saturday at 8 a.m. against Western Union. Greylock's first game Saturday is at 11:30 a.m. against Hudson Demo.
12U DIVISION
The Berkshire Force 12U squad Friday got off to a strong start with wins over the Dalton-based Berkshire Storm and the Frozen Ropes Lady Outlaws out of Albany.
The Thunder 12U also beat the Storm while being edged, 5-4, by the Frozen Ropes, to go to 1-1 in Pool Play.
Pool play continues on Saturday morning with the Force facing the Latham (N.Y.) Hurricanes at 11:30. At 4:45, the Thunder take on the Miss Scotties of Ballston Spa, N.Y., and the Storm plays the Bethlehem (N.Y.) Bombers.
