Sports stats



Blue Sox Blank North Adams, 2-0, in Home Regular Season Finale

July 31, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Playing in front of nearly 3,000 fans on the final home game of the regular season, North Adams could not muster anything offensively against Holyoke starter Jordan Kutzer, as the Blue Sox handed the SteepleCats their seventh shutout loss of the summer, 2-0, in an important NECBL Western Division battle on Wednesday night at Joe Wolfe Field.

Falling for the third straight game and scoring one run or less for the third game in a row, the SteepleCats (21-21) will now hope for two scenarios in their hunt for a playoff berth: two losses from either the Blue Sox (19-22) or Saratoga; one win and a loss from either of the aforementioned teams; or two wins in their season-concluding doubleheader on Friday in Saratoga.

Kutzer, however, kept a streaky North Adams offense at bay through nine innings, going the distance to improve to 1-1 on the summer. The right-hander struck out three but surrendered only three hits in that span, more-or-less dominating the SteepleCats all night long on the mound.

It was a sour loss for southpaw Scott Squier (Hawaii), who became the new single-season franchise leader in strikeouts (70) after fanning six with just two walks, but it was the two runs he surrendered in the top of the fourth inning that wound up being the difference. The Blue Sox tacked on five hits total against Squier, while North Adams hit safely on just three occasions Wednesday.

The SteepleCats thought they had a chance in the early goings after junior Joe Landi (URI) led off the bottom of the first with a bizarre double after the ball deflected off first base, over the fielder and down the right field line. But standing at third with nobody out, the home side was unable to generate anything else, and unfortunately for North Adams, that represented the best scoring chance from the game from there on out.

After three scoreless innings, Holyoke broke through against Squier in the top of the fourth. After a one-out walk to Matt Reida, Sal Anunziata doubled down the left field line and Reida came around all the way from first to plate the first run of the contest. Then, two batters later, Grant Heyman's infield single plated Anunziata from third, putting the visitors ahead, 2-0, after four innings.

Thanks to Kutzer's dominance, North Adams was kept in check offensively the rest of the way, as the SteepleCats whiffled on their third consecutive playoff-clinching game opportunity with another shutout loss.

The SteepleCats will enjoy an off day Thursday before rounding out the regular season with a doubleheader at Saratoga on Friday, Aug. 2. First pitch from East Side Recreation Field is set for 4 p.m.; both games will be seven innings in length.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 31, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent North Adams SteepleCats Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central