TURNERS FALLS — After a low-scoring 3-0 win over Lenox in the Western Mass. Class C tournament, the Franklin Tech softball team knew it needed to get its bats going when it faced the Millionaires again in the Round of 16 of the MIAA Div. 5 tournament on Tuesday. 

The Eagles did just that. 

Fifth-seeded Franklin Tech roared out to a 6-1 lead after two innings before tacking two runs on in the fifth to take an 8-2 lead. The 21st-seeded Millionaires didn’t quit, scoring three in the sixth and loading the bases, but Hannah Gilbert struck a batter out and forced a ground out to get out of the jam. 

The Eagles added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the frame to pull away with a 10-5 victory at Nancy Gifford Field. 

“They’re a quality team,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “We played them in Western Mass., it was a 3-0 game and today they hit the ball better than they did last time. We made a couple of little defensive miscues but overall, we hit the ball much better than we did the last time we saw them, too.”

The Eagles (20-3) advanced to play the winner of fourth-seeded Georgetown and No. 20 Wareham, which square off on Wednesday, in the state quarterfinals.

“It’s a solid win,” Gamache added. “Now we wait to see who’s next. We could get lucky and host a game or we could be making a long road trip. We’ll see what happens. We did our part today and the girls battled.” 

Lenox (11-10) opened the scoring in the top of the first. The Millionaires drew two walks and a hit by pitch, with Grace Julieano scoring on a ground out by Amber Arseneau, giving Lenox a 1-0 lead. 

Tech answered with three runs in the first. Kait Trudeau led off with a single, Lilly Ross and Gilbert were walked before Kylee Gamache smashed a base hit to score Trudeau and Ross. 

Cordelia Guerin grounded out to score Gilbert, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead. 

Franklin Tech tacked two on in the second. Trudeau singled and ultimately scored on a wild pitch while Ross walked and was driven in off a Gilbert triple. Gilbert scored on an errant throw on the play, giving the Eagles their 6-1 lead. 

“The girls came out with great energy,” Joe Gamache said. “We were able to jump on them early. A couple times we’ve done that and usually when that happens, good things happen for us. Overall we’ve won a lot of games this year but the games we struggled in are the ones we don’t get out to a good start. We had good energy today and they jumped on it. It was good to see.” 

A wild pitch allowed Arseneau to score in the third for the Millionaires, cutting the lead to 6-2. 

Lilianna Inman walked and Jenna Petrowicz reached on a fielder’s choice to put a pair on for Trudeau, who ripped a double to drive both in to put the Eagles ahead, 8-2, going into the sixth. 

Lenox took advantage of Tech miscues to get back in the game in the sixth. Aliza Munch walked and scored on an error, Lilly MacDonald singled and scored on an error before Evelyn Julieano singled to knock in Anna Nealson, cutting the lead to 8-5.

After loading the bases with one out, Gilbert worked her way out of the jam to prevent the Millionaires from cutting the deficit closer. 

“It was a little nerve-wracking,” Gamache said. “We gave them a couple extra outs there. It was nice that we worked our way out of it and only gave up three runs when it could have been much worse. Nice to come out with the lead still.” 

In the bottom of the frame, Gamache opened with a walk, Kyra Goodell walked and after each moved up a base on a wild pitch, both scored on an Inman single to give Tech its 10-5 lead. 

Gilbert went the distance, striking out seven and scattering five hits, two of which were bunts.