WESTFIELD – The Westfield softball team won the Western Mass. Class A tournament championship on Tuesday.
That’s nothing new, though. It’s the fifth in a row for the program.
However, what was new was freshman Jaylianie Santiago becoming the first player ever to hit a trio of home runs in a single tournament game, as she powered the top-seeded Bombers to a 15-5 victory over No. 2 East Longmeadow.
“To see our freshman knock three out and get the MVP trophy, that’s a good sign for years to come,” said Westfield coach Tyson James.
The first of Santiago’s three trips around the bases came in the bottom of the second inning when she launched the very first pitch she saw deep into the trees that paint the backdrop beyond the left field wall at Sullivan Field on the campus of Westfield State University.
“I love the first pitch, even though I’m not supposed to [swing] at it,” said Santiago. “It’s my favorite pitch, so I just go for it. I’m very anxious in the box, so I might as well just get it done and over with.”
Santiago was a bit more patient in her second at-bat. After watching the first pitch miss outside for ball one, she walloped the next one and sent it out of the yard.
By the time Santiago came to the plate for her third at-bat in the fifth frame, East Longmeadow had wised up. The Spartans didn’t bother pitching to her this time around and instead opted to put her on base via an intentional walk.
“I felt good about myself then,” Santiago said.
That move quickly backfired, though, as it kicked off a six-run frame for the Bombers, putting them ahead 11-0.
The Spartans seemed to have some semblance of life left when they responded in the top of the sixth by putting five runs on the board. But any and all hope was completely erased when Santiago led off the next half inning by blasting her third homer.
“She’s come a long way in the past, however many weeks we’ve been playing,” said James. “From the beginning to now, she’s really grown. She’s letting us coach her, and it’s showing. I think, for her, this is huge.”
Santiago finished the game three-for-four at the plate with four runs scored and three RBIs, and she wasn’t the only contributor Westfield had on offense, either. Hayley Krupienski drove in three runs as part of a two-hit performance, while Addyson Rowell knocked in a pair and scored twice herself.
In the circle, Shea Hurley lived up to her namesake for Westfield as she carried a no-hitter through her first five innings of work and only allowed three in the game while striking out 10.
“My screw[ball] was working really well today,” Hurley said. “I mean, it’s definitely easier when our team’s putting up a lot of runs.”
A senior, Hurley has been around for each of Westfield’s last three Western Mass. titles.
As she and the Bombers get ready for yet another trip back to the state tournament, winning it all is the one thing left for her to accomplish.
“We definitely want to go as far as we can,” said Hurley. “It’s going to be hard, but we know we definitely have a shot.”
