Taconic softball achieved early, runs late against Agawam (photos)

Agawam-after two losses in two days against stubborn opposition fell back on Wednesday Taconic No. 14 with a solid street victory.

The Tunder runs early and late onto the board and won a 10: 3 victory via Agawam No. 10.

The thunder rolled early after Cheyenne Goddard reached second place with a one-out double. Kylie Duhamel drove her up with an RBI single.

Toni Ahoussi later drilled a double double in the inning to take the thunder three before Agawam was able to close the frame.

Ahoussi could feel how valuable these runners were based on her team when she went on the plate – but she certainly was not afraid of her field.

“To be honest, I was afraid, my legs trembled,” said Ahoussi after the game. “But I'm glad I did it well, it was unexpected for me.”

The hosts fought back in the lower half of the frame and loaded the bases without outs after a lead-off walk and two singles.

A floor ball that was briefly at Goddard led at home for the first time, but a sack fly by Payton Malanson put Agawam on the board. The leadership of the Thunder disappeared after a wild field of Madison Georgina scored a goal, and an RBI single from Taylor stairs scored the score.

A lead-off walk for Madi Barber followed successive outs. When Barber moved in second place on a wild playing field during one of the previous bats, Goddards RBI-Single drove in the middle of Barber in. Duhamel followed with her second RBI single of the day and doubled the advantage of the visitor.

Avery Gordon calmed down the thunder through the Middle Innings, but Taconic's defense supported Abby Bliss and helped her escape a jam in the second inning.

With the invited bases and one in the second output, Goddard briefly caught a line drive and marked the runner for a double game in the Inning-end.

After Bliss had completed the third inning, Goddard took over in a circle, quickly got involved and found her groove.

When relieved, Goddard uses what she sees in the field to prepare for her approach – and from the shortstop position, Goddard has a clean look at how every dough approaches at bat.

“I try to pay attention to where many of the rackets miss the ball or find it difficult when I'm on the field,” said Goddard. “In this way, when I get (in a circle), I can beat these areas.

“I just make sure that I paint the corners and get everywhere so that it is not in the middle.”

After three straight innings that were okay, Barber led the seventh for Taconic with a single. Two other singles invited the bases, but an infield fly and the choice of a field player gave Agawam two outs without allowing a run.

But Nina Maloney entered the thunder and connected himself on the first field, drilled a hard floor ball over the third base line, which brought in two runners. Abby Soto followed with a double after two runs in the middle before Ahoussi got up with an RBI double and used visitors at five o'clock.

With a seven-run pillow behind her, Goddard Agawam put in order-a not so simple performance against a squad that had defeated four runs in the seventh border No. 3 behind a rally on Tuesday.

“(The added runs) definitely give me ease,” said Goddard. “We are all good rackets, so it is good to know that we are on the field when we are on the field and it is not in our way, we can defend ourselves.”

The thunder came in the Wednesday game after losses against No. 2 Turner Falls on Tuesday and the Hoosac Valley No. 15 on Monday. Taconic Softball coach Bree Goddard in her fifth game in seven days with another planned for this week-emphasized how the taxation of such a young packed schedule could be, but there were even positive ones with the losses.

“We knew that it would be a hard week to get this week,” said Bree Goddard. “… we played a great game against (Turner Falls) compared to what we recently played (against the Hoosac Valley), and that gave us a good momentum.

“This was a big victory, (Agawam) killed us last year and achieved the first inning … as soon as we got these bats going, they are normally (a lot of dots) – as soon as they are gone, they go, it is a domino effect.”

Taconic (9-8) will close its regular season with a high note when the Thunder Face Mount Everett on Thursday, May 15th at 4 p.m.

Agawam (10-7) will hope to jump back from the defeat on Wednesday, as the team is preparing for a street game with No. 4 Greenfield on Friday, May 16 at 4 p.m.

“We didn't bring the energy that we usually bring with us today,” said Agawam -Softball coach Kathy Georgina. “We are just somehow calm, we are tired. That was (Avery Gordons) third in a row, I just think they lost a little energy and they weren't so high for the game.

“We had problems with the slow pitching that really killed us today … We will accompany the machine and prepare it for Greenfield.”