Local briefs: Northampton Parks & Recreation Department offering youth soccer programs

The Northampton Parks & Recreation Department is offering fall youth and rec soccer programs for youth entering preschool through sixth grade. Youth soccer (preschool through second grade) will be held on Saturday mornings at Sheldon Field from Sept. 7 to Oct. 26, while rec soccer (third grade through sixth) begins as early as Sept. 4 and runs through Nov. 3.

These divisions compete in both home and away games against surrounding communities and participate in one or two weeknight practices each week. For more information, contact the Northampton Parks & Recreation Department at 413-587-1040 or stop by the Parks & Recreation Office at 100A Bridge Road, Florence. Information is also available online at www.northamptonma.gov/recreation.

Youth baseball

Northampton 11, Amherst 5 — In a battle of the top two teams in the Western Massachusetts Baseball League Koufax Division, the 6-1 Blue Devils battled and defeated the undefeated (7-0) Hurricanes on Wednesday evening.

Northampton’s offense was led by Oliver Yau, Bradyn Rios, Dylan Lawrence-Riddell and Iggy Piotrowski, who combined for all eight of the team’s hits. Yau (double and two singles) and Lawrence-Riddell (two singles) each had two RBIs for Northampton. Rios ripped two singles and scored four runs, and Piotrowski went 1-for-2 with a single and two runs scored.

Maceo Nteta earned the win for the Blue Devils on the mound, as the lefty pitcher gave up three hits and zero runs over three innings – striking out two and walking one.

Jonah Sommers led Amherst with two hits in two at bats. Julian Park, Sommers, Agho Mankin (double) and Cyrus Arwade (double) each drove in one run for Amherst.