April 2010

Mahar holds off Panthers, 7-4

As Mahar Regional School closes in on the halfway point of its Hampshire League baseball schedule, it’s proving day-in and day out why it’s the top team in the division.

The Senators got a solid pitching performance from two hurlers on Thursday and the offense took advantage of its chances as Mahar improved to 6-1 in HL play with a 7-4 win over Pioneer Valley Regional School in Orange.

The win was the fifth straight divisional win for the Senators (7-2), whose only league-loss this season came back on April 13, when Easthampton High School, which is tied for second in the HL, beat Mahar, 2-1. The Senators have now played every team in the HL except for Athol High School (1-7), which Mahar will host on Monday. Against Pioneer, Mahar hitters took advantage of 10 free passes issued to them.

The Senators scored six times in the second inning to take control of the game. Tyler Woodard and Matt Bardsley wrapped walks around a Mike Pierson single to load the bases. Andrew O’Loughlin hit a two-run double and Matt Robinson was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. O’Loughlin and Bardsley each scored on passed balls, and Kyle Cellana hit a two-run double to close out the scoring.

Pioneer (5-4 overall, 4-4 HL) responded with three runs in the top of the third, when Joey Larson drove in two runs and John Kier knocked in one, but Mahar came back with one more run in the third inning on a Greg Richard, two-out, RBI single.

“We seem to be very opportunistic,” Mahar coach Art Billings explained. “I try to tell the kids, ‘Guys, you just have to keep swinging and be patient when the pitches aren’t good.’ “I’m happy with the progress, but we have a lot of work to do,” he continued. “The four errors (committed against Pioneer) stand out in the box score and if we can eliminate those, it will help out our pitchers.”

The double-armed tandem of Pierson and Woodard handled things from there. Pierson pitched the first 4 1-3 innings, striking out four and walking three. Woodard came on and kept his team on top, pitching the final 2 2-3 innings, despite getting touched up by a Derek Thayer solo home run over the right-field fence in the seventh inning. Woodard struck out three and walked one.

Tyler O’Brien suffered the loss, striking out one and walking three in 1 2-3 innings. Thayer pitched three innings in relief, striking out three and walking five. John Mancha finished up the final 1 1-3 innings, walking two.

Recorder Staff

Mahar 19, Turners 8 — Mahar Regional School took advantage of 16 walks to take a 19-8 win over Turners Falls High School in a HL baseball game Wednesday night in Turners Falls.

The Indians actually outhit the Senators, 11-10, for the game, but Mahar used the 16 free passes to earn the win. Kyle Cellana finished with three hits and four RBIs in the win. Greg Richard added one hit and two RBIs. Ryan Matthews drove in three runs. Cellana got the win, striking out five and walking two in seven innings. Mahar now leads Greenfield and Easthampton by one game in the HL.

Matt Garber and John Ollari each finished with one hit and two RBIs in the loss. Jeremy Mankowsky collected three hits for Turners Falls. Eric Bastarache added two hits.

Recorder Staff

Palmer 12, Mahar 4 — Ian Sawicki collected three singles and two RBIs as Palmer High School pounded out 15 hits in a 12-4 independent baseball win over Mahar Regional School on Monday in Orange.

Jon Remillard, Jim Skowronek and Jon Houle all added two hits for the Panthers, who took advantage of five Senators errors.

Kyle Cellana had a big day in the loss, banging out two doubles and two singles. Tyler Woodard added two hits and Mike Pierson drove in a pair of runs.

Recorder Staff

Mahar turns back Mohawk

Mahar Regional School used an impressive offensive display to take over sole possession of first place in the Hampshire League.

The Senators pounded out 12 hits, including one from every player in the starting lineup, en route to a 7-3 Hampshire League baseball victory over Mohawk Trail Regional High School Thursday in Buckland.

“They really hit the ball,” offered Warriors head coach Greg Lilly. “Everyone can hit, so there’s no easy outs. … Our outfielders struggled, and the ball was really carrying.”
Mahar (5-1 overall, 4-1 HL) strung together six consecutive hits in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie and pull ahead, 4-1.

Blayne Calcari and Kyle Cellana each roped doubles to break the tie. Then, after Cellana was out trying to advance to third, Tyler Woodard and Matt Bardsley both singled to set up Mike Pierson, who followed with a two-run double.

The Senators also received a solid relief performance from Pierson, who replaced Cellana and hurled 2 2-3 innings of two-hit ball. Cellana was credited with the win.

Calcari and Lincoln Gagnon both slapped a single and double. Woodard had two singles for the winners.

Cody Underwood, Chris Melnick and losing hurler Ben Popowich all singled and doubled for the Warriors.Jake Looman clubbed a double.

Popowich fanned six and did not walk a batter in seven innings.

Both teams have independent games next on the schedule. Mohawk (3-3, 2-2 HL) travels to Forest Park in Springfield today at 4 to face Springfield Science & Technology, while Mahar hosts Palmer High School on Monday.

GreenfieldRecorder 

Mahar Regional School in Orange: At the New England District Key Club Conference recently in Springfield, the Mahar Key Club received third place for its scrapbook, for its annual achievement report and for its single service project. The student received a patch for Early Bird Cue and a Distinguished Club award, one of four such awards in the New England District.

Mahar teacher Linda Ganson’s art students are making paper! In an ongoing effort to be resourceful, the art department students are creating 3-D sculptures from a variety of recycled materials. The young people are recycling used computer paper, scraps of tissue paper and fibers, and other material to create handmade paper.

They are also learning about the history of paper, paper-making and its origin. The paper they made will be used in conjunction with wire coat hangers, cardboard, paper towel tubes, wood scraps and a variety of other material that can be recycled.

Hopkins 12, Mahar 10 — Gabrielle Pelissier hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and Hopkins Academy edged Mahar Regional School, 12-10, in a FCL game Wednesday afternoon in Orange.

Mahar held a 6-2 lead after two innings but Hopkins went on to score three in the third and four in the fourth to take command of the game. Pelissier finished with three hits and five RBIs to lead the Golden Hawks (4-1, 3-1). Carolyn Waskiewicz added three hits and two RBIs.

Tasha Polana led the Senators (1-5, 1-4) with three doubles and four RBIs, Hannah Pultorak had a single, double and two RBIs, and Tamieka Adams finished with a single, double and one RBI. Tia Polana sufffered the loss, striking out four and walking two in seven innings.

School Baseball Senators rough up Green Wave, 8-1

Recorder Staff

Tyler Woodard drove in five runs to help Mahar Regional School knock off Greenfield High School, 8-1, in a Hampshire League baseball game Tuesday afternoon in Orange.

Greenfield pitcher Conor Nolan cruised through the first three innings of the game and had a perfect game going into the fourth inning. The Senators adjusted to the pitcher the second time through the order, however, and managed to score five runs in the fourth.

Woodard hit a two-run single to highlight the inning, while Matt Bardsley, Andrew O’Loughlin and Greg Richard each added RBI singles. Things didn’t get any better for the Green Wave (3-2 overall, 1-2 HL) in the fifth inning, as Woodard crushed a one-out, three-run home run to center field to give the Senators (4-1, 3-1) an 8-0 lead.

That was plenty of run support for Mahar pitcher Blayne Calcari, who scattered one hit and four walks over six innings of work. Calcari struck out nine and got praise from his coach after the game.

“Blayne seemed to make the pitches when he had to,” Mahar skipper Art Billings explained.

Kyle Cellana came on to pitch the seventh inning and allowed two hits and a run.

Nolan suffered the loss, striking out six and walking three in 4 1-3 innings. Myles Mastrototaro pitched the final 1 2-3 innings, striking out one and walking two. Matt Dore, Ian Leonard and Dan Pelc each finished with one hit in the loss.

Amanda Badgley, Superintendent Baldassarre, Taylor Badgley

At Post Performance Reception for Mahar’s Spring Musical, Once on This Island

 Senior captain Amanda Johnson had one outstanding day on the track Wednesday April 7th, 2010. She surpassed not one but 2 long time school records at the Mahar Track and Field complex. Amanda is a jumper and sprinter for the Mahar girls track team and she jumped to 17′ 1″ in the long jump flying past the old mark of 15′ 8 1/2″ set by 2 girls, Clarissa Rosa in 1994 and Lori Coolidge in 1999. Not satisfied with this record in the long jump, Amanda continued her stellar day with another school record in the triple jump. Her jump of 34′ 9 1/2″ bested the old mark set by Kala Archibald in 1988 of 34′. To finish off the day Amanda bested the field  in the 100 meter dash and finished 2nd in the 400 meters. Amanda will graduate in June and then next year plans to move on to Westfield State College where she plans to run track and field.