GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — There will be a new champion in State Division 5 softball. The two-time defending champion Greenfield Green Wave fell to eighth-seed Tahanto Regional in the MIAA Quarterfinals Friday night at Vets Field, 5-2.
The top-seeded Lady Wave came into the game having outscored their two opponents in the state tournament by a combined 25-0, and going back to the Western Mass tournament, the margin was 47-0. But the Wave quickly found themselves in a struggle against the Stags.
Tahanto shortstop Rylee Walton led off the second inning with a towering home run to left field off Kenzie Paulin, putting the Stags up 1-0. Tahanto tacked on an apparent insurance run in the fifth on a double by Chloe Cogswell, who had appeared overmatched against Paulin up to that point.
Down to their last six outs, the Green Wave rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double down the right field line by Carly Blanchard. But Greenfield was unable to get the go-ahead run across, sending the game to the seventh and final inning tied.
In the top of the seventh, the Stags erupted for three runs against Paulin. Cogswell delivered another RBI double to make it 3-2, and one out later, winning pitcher Abby Bidinger knocked in two more with a single. Tahanto now had its biggest lead of the game, and the Greenfield crowd was effectively silenced.
Greenfield went down in order in the last of the seventh, and Tahanto had pulled off the upset. The Stags will take a 14-6 record and major momentum into a Final Four matchup against either fourth-seed Georgetown or #5 seed Franklin Tech. Those two teams play in Georgetown Saturday morning at 11:00.
Greenfield ends its season at 21-2 and Western Mass champions for a third consecutive year.