iBerkshires by Stephen Dravis - June 1, 2025
LENOX, Mass. – Amaya Alger dropped a two-out single into short left field in the bottom of the fourth Sunday to lift the Lenox softball team to a 3-2 win over Lee in the Division 5 State Tournament.
Alger’s single, one of just two on the day for the Millionaires, brought home Grace Julieano with the winning run as 11th-seeded Lenoix beat the Wildcats for the third time this season and advanced to the Round of 16 to to face either Hoosac Valley or Westport, who play on Monday afternoon in Adams.
On a day when neither team was able to produce big hits, Evelyn Julieano got just enough run support to outduel Brianna Lynch in the final high school matchup between the pair.
Neither pitcher was as dominant as she can be, but both were effective despite the rain showers that marked the first few innings.
“We really talked to [Evelyn Julieano] when she came back in the dugout,” Lenox coach Amy Pires said. “And we just said, you really have to focus and just concentrate on one batter at a time. That’s all you can do.
“And she ended up coming through with some good pitches toward the end.”
Julieano did strike out nine and allowed just two hits, but she also walked eight.
Lynch, a senior who came in allowing about half a walk per inning pitched, walked five while striking out six and also allowing two hits.
“I think [the rain] hurt her a little bit with a couple of walks early on,” Lee coach Scott Sibley said. “Weather, I know she’s used to playing in. Unfortunately, I do think the rain early on hurt a little bit. But it was still a ball game right up until the very end. A break for us in the sixth inning, it could be a different ballgame. But I’m just proud of the way we played.”
Lenox and Lee started the season back on the final day in March, a 6-0 Millionaires win. It was 4-0 when they played the regular season rematch on April 23.
On Sunday they hooked up again on the first day in June, this time each looking to extend their season.
Lenox struck first when Evelyn Julieano drew a leadoff walk and scored in the bottom of the first.
She stole second and moved up on sister Grace’ sacrifice bunt before coming home on an RBI groundout from Hailey Armold to make it 1-0.
The Wildcats answered with their first runs of the season against Lenox to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth.
Juliana Schuerer bunted her way aboard to start the inning and stole second. Lynch then walked on a wild pitch and took second when the Millionaires tried to throw out Scheuer advancing.
With two runners in scoring position and nobody out, Julieano got a called third strike for the first out of the inning. But Lily Brancato singled up the middle to drive in both runs and give the Wildcats the lead.
It did not last long.
Armold started the bottom of the fourth by reaching on a two-base error in the outfield. She then stole second and scored with one out on Lilly MacDonald’s RBI single to tie the game.
Lenox (19-1), a team that scored in double digits in 14 of its games this year, had just one hit through four innings against Lynch.
“Some of our normal players who normally get on base didn’t get on base,” Pires said. “Some of our other players, they were patient at the plate. Both pitchers, Evelyn and Bri, did walk quite a few. So being patient paid off for us. Manufacturing runs, a couple of errors helped scorer runs, and we pulled through.”
Another outfield error cost Lee in Lenox’s winning rally.
Grace Julieano got to second on a bobble with one out in the bottom of the fifth. She then moved up a base on Armold’s fly out deep out, and she scored easily when Alger reached with two out.
Evelyn Julieano closed the door from there, retiring Lee in order over the next two innings thanks, in part, to a big assist from Arnold, who threw out her second runner of the game for the first out of the sixth.
While the Millionaires wait to see who they will play in the next round of the tournament, Lee (10-9) says goodbye to a senior class that posted a winning record in each of its four high school seasons, including a pitcher who struck out 937 batters with the Wildcats.
“This group of seniors brought this program to where it’s been the last couple of years,” Sibley said. “They started as seventh and eighth graders, and they struggled. And the last couple of years, they actually took this program and made it respectable.
“It is Bri, but there’s four other girls right there who are right there with her who have all contributed, along with the other four who aren’t seniors. That’s a huge void to fill.”