HATFIELD — The Granby softball team has averaged 14.8 runs per game over its last seven contests. The Rams’ bats have been on a tear. That average went up on Friday.

Granby erupted for 18 more runs against Smith Academy, scoring six in the first inning and never looking back en route to an 18-1 road win over the Falcons. It was the second straight win for the Rams, and they haven’t plated less than five runs since their first game of the season all the way back on March 27.

“The bats have been great for us all year,” Granby head coach Mike Afflitto said. “We’ve had a solid approach at the plate, and it’s been working. We’re very confident in ourselves as a hitting group.”

While the Granby offense has done more than its part to give the team a chance to win on a daily basis, the Rams defense has taken a bit longer to find a groove than Afflitto had hoped. Pitchers Meredith Bartosz and Mabel Carillon have split time in the circle this season. Neither are known as strikeout pitchers, they both are accurate and pitch to contact – which forces the fielders behind them to make plays consistently.

Afflitto said that they weren’t doing so enough to start the year, but Friday was a huge step in the right direction as the fielding behind Bartosz (five innings, one hit, five strikeouts) was nearly flawless. Granby made only one error in the win.

“Today, we made a lot of those routine plays when [Smith Academy] put the ball in play,” Afflitto said. “That’s probably been the area where we’ve struggled the most consistently. We’re trying to become a better defensive team, because we know in those tighter games, that’s what is going to win us games. The defensive effort today was rewarding.”

Nine different Granby players crossed home plate, and 13 different hitters reached base safely in Friday’s victory. Kaitlyn Curran blasted a two-run home run in the first inning as part of her three-hit day, Cassie Flaherty reached base four times – including a solo shot in the second and a triple in the fourth – while Ellie Szlosek singled, walked and scored twice.

Sydney Chateauneuf also singled three times and scored three runs and Marcela Tapia singled twice, walked and touched home plate twice. It was a do-it-by-committee effort from Afflitto’s bunch, something he wants to see more of moving forward.

“To see everyone get involved, it was awesome,” he said. “It makes my job as a coach a lot easier in a way, because one thing I can say confidently with this group is that they come every day and are dedicated to getting better. I feel comfortable putting anyone in the lineup knowing they have put the work in. It doesn’t always work out to get everyone in, so it’s nice when it does happen.”

The Falcons have now lost nine straight games, but head coach Moira Pitrat has seen significant improvement throughout the course of the season. Smith Academy has had several games where the majority of its outs came via strikeout, but on Friday, the hosts put the ball in play several times.

It just so happened that when the Falcons hit it hard, the ball went right where Granby was standing.

“We were making a lot better contact, which was great to see,” Pitrat said. “We unfortunately just happened to hit it right to them. Our bats were doing better than usual so I was happy about that. Now we just have to tighten up in the field a little bit.”

Quinn Carlson reached on an error and scored in the first inning on a Marissa Belina single for Smith Academy’s lone run. The only other base runner the Falcons managed was on a hit batter – again Belina reaching safely. She made it to second base before being doubled up to end the inning after a nice play from Tapia out in center field.

Despite only having one victory in 2025, Smith Academy players have shown up to practice every day and given it their all. Pitrat applauded her team for the energy and positivity they bring.

“They’re a dedicated bunch,” Pitrat said. “We make it nice and light-hearted at practice, try to keep it fun and keep each other into it. They don’t quit, which is great. They keep hustling regardless of what the score is.”

Smith Academy travels to Springfield Central on Monday, while Granby hits the road to play Palmer also on Monday.