HOLYOKE, MA–The Valley Blue Sox are back in Western Massachusetts, finishing a two-game trip with a battle against their opening night opponent, the North Adams SteepleCats, in the second of six meetings between the two North Division rivals.
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LAST TIME THEY MET: Down 4-0 after five and a half innings, the Valley Blue Sox pulled themselves off the mat, scoring seven unanswered in a 7-4 win over the rival North Adams SteepleCats in the two squad’s NECBL opener in front of 1,502 fans at Mackenzie Stadium last Friday.
After the SteepleCats took a 4-0 lead in the 6th, it was all Blue Sox; center fielder Mendez Elder and shortstop Angelo La Bruna led off with back to back walks, and Elder scored when third baseman Frank Crinella grounded out. Left fielder Bobby Stahel doubled in La Bruna in the next at-bat to make it 4-2 SteepleCats after six, and the team exploded for five in the seventh, as right fielder Michael Gilbert and catcher Justin Morhardt led off with back-to-back singles, and after a sacrifice bunt, Elder roped a double into the gap in left center to plate them both and tie the game.
Crinella brought in the go-ahead run with a grounder that was mishandled by the SteepleCats shortstop, and La Bruna scored on a wild pitch during the next at bat. First baseman Tre Sikes drove Crinella home with a single to complete the five run frame where the team batted around. From there, Harrison Paige came in to pitch, and the Springfield native had a stellar debut, needing just four pitches to complete the eighth, and fanning a pair in the ninth, including a swinging strikeout to end the game and earn the save.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The teams are even against each other historically, with a 17-17 mark that includes an 8-8 record in games in North Adams since 2008.
PITCHING PROBABLES: The Blue Sox will start John Pryor today. The Lipscomb sophomore had a strong freshman showing, with a 2-2 record in 13 appearances, including seven starts, while posting a 4.70 ERA in 44.0 innings. Against him, the SteepleCats will send Florida State redshirt freshman Ed Voyles. The 6’7″ righty did not pitch for Florida State this season; he is the twin brother of college and North Adams teammate Jim Voyles, who started for the SteepleCats last night
LAST TIME OUT: The Valley Blue Sox never trailed, but needed a miscue in the ninth to walk away 4-3 winners at Recreation Field in Vermont’s capital against the rival Mountaineers in a back-and-forth game.
The Blue Sox jumped out to an early first inning lead but the Mountaineers scored in the third; Valley responded in the following half inning, loading up the bases on two singles by Sikes and right fielder Michael Gilbert. After shortstop Joseph Carcone was intentionally walked, a wild pitch scored Sikes and then catcher Justin Morhardt hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Gilbert.
The Mountaineers posted a two spot of their own in the fifth, with a single, walk, single, and wild pitch bringing in the runs, ending Elia’s day with two outs in the frame. They threatened again in the sixth, working walks to get first and third, but Kyle Rasmussen, who came in to replace Mike McGee, got the Mountaineers to roll over for the third out.
In the ninth, Carcone ripped a single through the left side, and stole second. He also stole third, and the throw went into left, allowing him to score. That was enough for the Blue Sox, as Joe DiBenedetto was able to work around a single to get the called strike three to end the game.
The SteepleCats suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Sanford Mainers last night. Down 5-1 heading into the seventh, they cut the lead to 5-3 by the end of the eighth. They then erupted for five runs in the top of the ninth, working three walks into a frame with four hits to take an 8-5 lead. The joy was short lived, however, as the Mainers saw their first three batters reach on a walk, error, and walk before three straight ground balls, the first two for hits, tied the game, and then the winning run came home on a passed ball to make the final score 9-8 Sanford.
WHO’S HOT: Tre Sikes had three hits last night to give him five in the first two games on the season and has a .625 average so far, while Joe DiBenedetto has a win and a save to his credit in 2.2 innings of work this season so far for the Blue Sox. Kyle Richardson, Vinny Siena, and Luke Maglich each drove in two runs for the SteepleCats yesterday.
GAME-TIME WEATHER FORECAST: Mostly cloudy, 81 degrees, winds south-southwest at 5 MPH, 0% chance of rain.
NEXT UP: The Blue Sox return to Mackenzie Stadium Tuesday, June 10 against the Laconia Muskrats at 6:35 p.m. for HG&E Night.