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Blue Sox Edge 'Cats in Walk-Off Heartbreaker Saturday Night

June 15, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


HOLYOKE, Mass. - The visiting North Adams SteepleCats saw what they thought was the potential go-ahead run nullified on a controversial appeal play in the top of the ninth before Holyoke won it in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off walk, as the Blue Sox evened the season series and remained in first place with a win in a NECBL Western Division thriller on Saturday night at MacKenzie Stadium.

With the score tied in the top of the ninth, the SteepleCats (3-3) saw a one-out double off the bat of *Julian Loret de Mola (Nova Southeastern)*move the potential go-ahead run into scoring position, and after a grounder deflected off the Holyoke shortstop, freshman *Kyle Richardson (Notre Dame)*came home to put the visitors on top by a run.

But after a controversial appeal ruled that Richardson did not touch the third base bag, North Adams was kept off the scoreboard, and the Blue Sox (5-1) promptly used a leadoff single and benefitted from an error and the eventual game-ending, bases-loaded walk to wrap up the match.

Junior reliever *Anthony Mannuccia (Hartford)* was tagged with the tough-luck loss despite not yielding an earned run in the ninth, spoiling a gem thrown by sophomore *Scott Squier (Hawaii), *who went eight innings and struck out eight while yielding three hits and one walk over that span.

Holyoke reliever Ben Rakus wound up with the win in relief after tossing 2/3 frames and working around the double in the top of the ninth, preserving another solid effort from Buffalo right-hander Mike Burke, who offered seven shutout innings and struck out two.

In what has developed into a weeklong trend for North Adams - losers of three straight - the visitors left eight more on base tonight and finished 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Despite owning the second-best team batting average in the league, the SteepleCats have seen just three combined runs over 21 innings on the week, and will look to right the ship with a home tilt Sunday.

The SteepleCats return home to welcome Ocean State for a Father's Day showdown tomorrow for the first-ever showdown between the two franchises. First pitch from Joe Wolfe Field is set for 4:30 p.m.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 15, 2013


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