Home run in eighth inning lifts Canton past Plainville

The Canton High softball celebrates after Joy Shand’s inside-the-park home run in the eighth inning beat Plainville Thursday, 2-1. More photos from the game

CANTON, May 26, 2022 – Joy Shand’s inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Canton High softball team to a 2-1 win over Plainville in eight innings on Thursday.

The Warriors (13-7) closed out the regular season with three consecutive wins.

Plainville (12-8) threatened in the top of the eighth inning. The Blue Devils loaded the bases with one out thanks to a pair of singles and a walk. But Canton pitcher Alice Butterfield worked her way out of the jam by striking out the next two hitters.

Butterfield (9-7) allowed seven hits but tied her season-high with 13 strikeouts. She fanned 13 in earlier victories over East Granby and Windsor Locks in April.

In the bottom of the eighth, Shand came up with two outs. She ripped a hard-hit ball down the right field line that skipped past the Plainville outfielder and rolled to the fence. Canton High coach Kristy Kehoss didn’t hesitate and waved Shand home, who scored standing up for the game-winning run. It was Shand’s second home run of the season.

Plainville took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a RBI double from Faith Emery.

Canton tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Joelle Daigneault walked but was thrown out at the plate, trying to score on a double from Erin Mackin. A ground ball out allowed Mackin to move to third base and she scored on a RBI single from Butterfield.

Canton had seven hits in Wednesday’s 16-3 win over Lewis Mills in six innings on Tuesday in Burlington. Madison Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with one RBI with Shand getting a double. Mackin and starting pitcher Lyla O’Connor each had a single and drove in three runs.

On the mound, O’Connor went the distance on the mound, allowing eight hits and striking out four. She came away with the win to improve to 4-0 this season.

On Tuesday, Canton had 10 hits in a 7-2 win over the Wamogo/Litchfield co-op team in Canton. Mackin was 3-for-4 for the Warriors while Olivia Daigneault was 2-for-3 with a single, double and two RBI. Shand also drove in a pair of runs in the victory. Butterfield went the distance on the mound and struck out 10.

The Warriors will begin play in the Class S tournament on Tuesday.

SOFTBALL
Canton 2, Plainville 1
At Canton
Plainville (12-8)        010  000  00  — 1-7-0
Canton (13-7)            000  100  01  – 2-4-1
Grace Geddes and A. Linnhoff; Alice Butterfield and Joy Shand; WP: Butterfield (9-7); LP: Geddes; 2B: Marissa Miller (P) 2, Faith Emery (P), Erin Mackin (C); HR: Joy Shand (C)

Canton 16, Lewis Mills 3 (6)
At Burlington
Canton (12-7)          333  052  — 16-7-1
Lewis Mills (2-18)   000  030  — 3-8-1
Lyla O’Connor and Joy Shand; Criss, Sawyer (6) and Sawyer, Henry (6); WP: O’Connor (4-0); LP: Criss; 2B: Shand (C), Gawitt (LM)

Canton 7, Wamogo/Litchfield 2
At Canton
Wamogo/Litchfield (4-14)      000  000  2  – 2-6-2
Canton (11-7)                            032  110  x  — 7-10-3
Diana Squires and unknown; Alice Butterfield and Joy Shand; WP: Butterfield; LP: Squires; 2B: Olivia Daigneault (C), Joelle Daigneault (C), Schweter (W) 2, Curtis (W)