
Canton’s Joy Shand had a double in Saturday’s loss to Plainville and a triple in Friday’s loss to East Granby.
PLAINVILLE, May 1, 2021 – The past two games have been difficult for the Canton High softball team. The Warriors had leads in both games.
They lost those leads and rallied to take the lead again only to see the opposition rally for a second time.
Plainville scored four unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth inning to take the lead for good and beat the Warriors for their first victory of the season on Saturday morning, 7-6, in a non-league contest.
About 18 hours earlier, the Warriors scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a two-run lead only to see the Crusaders win the game, 8-7, thanks to three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
On Saturday morning, Canton (3-6, 3-4 NCCC) had an early 2-0 lead only to see the Blue Devils take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning. The Warriors added two runs in the top of the third on a wild pitch and past ball to reclaim the lead, 4-2.
But the Blue Devils (1-4) scored three runs in fourth inning and added another run in the fifth to take the lead for good.
Erin Mackin was 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI for Canton while catcher Joy Shand had a double. Olivia Daigneault drove in two runs for the Warriors.
Friday’s game with East Granby (4-3) was a back-and-forth affair. Canton had an early 2-1 lead after two innings but the Crusaders extended their lead to 5-2 after six innings with pitcher Emma Griffin keeping Canton off balance. Griffin went the distance, allowing seven hits, striking out nine and allowing just one walk.
It was Griffin’s two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth that put East Granby ahead, 5-2.
However, Canton rallied with five runs in the top of the seventh to take a two-run lead. Katelyn Horvath reached on an error and moved to third base on Emily Garcia’s single. Both scored on Ashley Briggs two-run triple that trimmed the Crusader lead to one, 5-4.
With two outs in the inning, Daigneault was hit by a pitch. She and Briggs scored on Loren Mossey’s RBI double to left field as Canton took a 6-5 lead. Mossey scored on Mackin’s RBI single to extend the lead to two, 7-5.
But East Granby rallied for a final time. The Crusaders tied the game on a two-run triple from Taylor Hayes and won the game when Hayes scored from third base on a wild pitch.
Mackin was 3-for-4 for the Warriors with one RBI while Mossey was 2-for-4 with a RBI double. Briggs had a two-run triple. Catcher Joy Shand also tripled for Canton.
Mossey went the distance on the mound, allowing seven hits and striking out 13 batters.
Canton returns to action on Monday with the first of three straight home games on consecutive days. The Warriors host Coventry on Monday beginning at 4 p.m. Canton also hosts Windsor Locks on Tuesday and Somers on Wednesday with each game starting at 4 p.m.
Plainville 7, Canton 6
At Plainville
Canton (3-6) 111 200 1 — 6-5-5
Plainville (1-4) 030 310 x –7-8-0
Loren Mossey, Alice Butterfield (5) and Joy Shand; Plainville battery unavailable; LP: Mossey (3-6); 2B: Erin Mackin (Ca), Joy Shand (Ca)
East Granby 8, Canton 7
At East Granby
Canton (3-5) 020 000 5 – 7-8-0
East Granby (4-3) 101 012 3 — 8-11-3
Loren Mossey and Joy Shand; Emma Griffin and unknown; WP: Griffin; LP: Mossey (3-5); 2B: Loren Mossey (Ca); Grifffin (EG), Taylor Andrews (EG); 3B: Taylor Hayes (EG), Joy Shand (Ca), Ashley Briggs (Ca); HR: Griffin (EG)
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.


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