HOLYOKE, MA—The Valley Blue Sox stumbled and fell 3-1 to the Laconia Muskrats in NECBL action at a rainy Mackenzie Stadium in front of a crowd of 734.
The Blue Sox drop to 2-2 on the year while the Muskrats improve to 1-3.
Laconia scored first, getting their first run of the season with a walk, sacrifice bunt, wild pitch, and single in the fourth.
The Blue Sox responded in the sixth, loading the bases with one out; second baseman Joseph Carcone hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but from third, third baseman Frank Crinella scored.
However, in the following half inning, Laconia struck twice, scoring with a hit batsmen, double, sacrifice, and passed ball on a dropped third strike.
Valley had the tying run on in the eighth with one out but could not score, and the game ended with the tying run at the plate on a flyout.
Taking the loss was Derik Beauprez, who threw 6+ innings of six hit ball, allowing all three runs, two earned, with one walk and four strikeouts. Cory Geisler, who started as the DH, earned the win with three relief innings, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout, and Marc Skinner earned the save with a perfect ninth.
The Blue Sox return home tomorrow to battle the Vermont Mountaineers at 6:35 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. The first 400 fans through the gates will be given Blue Sox baseballs, sponsored by Nuvo Bank; in addition, it will be Buck Night at Mackenzie Stadium, with $1 hot dogs all game long.