NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Kristin (Paryzch) Hildabrand drove a three-run home run to left field to cap a 10-run second inning for Whitman’s Crystal Clean on Monday in the Pat Torchia Softball League playoffs at Disanti Field.

 

That big inning propelled Whitman’s to a 16-0 win over Pizza House and a berth in the league championship series that gets under way on Thursday night.

 

Pizza House stayed alive in the double-elimination tournament, dropping into Wednesday’s loser’s bracket final, where it will attempt to earn a rematch against Whitman’s.

 

On Monday, Whitman’s pitcher Sarah Sweet held Pizza House to just three hits in the five-inning win.

 

She pitched her way out of trouble in second and third.

 

In the second, Pizza House’s Caitlin Powers reached on a two-base error and moved up on an infield single to get to third base with two out. Jamie Rogge drew a walk to load the bases, but Sweet got the next batter to groundout.

 

In the third, Sweet walked the bases loaded with two out but got the final out on a grounder to second.

 

Sweet’s offense gave her plenty of run support.

 

Whitman’s rallied for three unearned runs after a two-out error opened the door in the bottom of the first. Serina Stimpson and Taylor Kenyon singled ahead of Kristen King’s double.

 

In the second, Pizza House got the first out, but the next five hitters singled. A couple of errors and an RBI single by Sam Boyle got the lead to 9-0. Another error brought home a run before Hildabrand crushed a pitch over the fence to score three and make it 13-0.

 

Whitman’s tacked on a run in the third and two more in the fourth.

 

Krystal Poulen and Stimpson each went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Hildabrand went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer and three RBIs.

 

More photos of this game here.