Blue Sox Sink 'Cats in Extras, 3-2, Friday Night

July 26, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Trailing by a run with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 11th inning, North Adams had an opportunity to storm back against Holyoke, but some timely defensive heroics from the visitors kept the SteepleCats at bay, as the hosts dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in NECBL Western Division action on Friday night at Joe Wolfe Field.

Seeing their four-game losing streak come to an end, the SteepleCats (20-18) also watched both first-place Keene and second-place Vermont extend their leads by a game apiece with wins on Friday, while the Blue Sox (17-20) moved into sole possession of fourth place by virtue of their victory.

Holyoke took a lead it would not surrender thanks to Justin Morhardt's game-winning sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th to score Jacob Bruce - who finished with a game-high three hits and two runs - but North Adams made things interesting in the home half of the frame.

With All-Star closer Ben Rakus on the mound, freshman Jacob Huckabay (UT-Pan American) and freshman Kyle Richardson (Notre Dame) worked back-to-back walks to start before junior Anthony Mannuccia (Hartford) - who was in the game as a position player thanks to a thin SteepleCat bench - was called upon to bunt. The right-hander laid down a beauty, and with Huckabay running, the throw wound up at third but was not in time, loading the bases with nobody out.

But Rakus' final pitch thrown wound up in a bizarre, line drive fielder's choice that ricocheted off his non-throwing hand, landed a foot in front of him and was relayed to the plate to retire the lead runner.

Then, with new pitcher Henry Van Zant into the game, North Adams would muster just a strikeout and a game-ending fielder's choice to seal the heartbreaking setback, giving Van Zant his first close of the season after getting the last two outs.

Sophomore Casey Kennedy (Glendale C.C.) was tagged with a tough-luck loss out of the bullpen for North Adams, while starter Trevor Scott (UC San Diego) took a no decision after striking out four and giving up one run on five hits over 5 2/3 frames. His counterpart, Dan Patrick, also took a no decision after surrendering one run on six hits over six innings with six strikeouts.

Bryan Goosens wound up with a much-deserved win out of the bullpen for the Blue Sox, finishing with no runs allowed over 3 1/3 frames with one strikeout and a walk. Sophomore Joeanthony Rivera (Barry) offered two scoreless innings of relief for the hosts, as well.

Bruce and Brendan Hendriks led the way for the visitors with five hits between them both, while Richardson and junior Joe Landi (URI) added two and three hits, respectively, for North Adams, which out-hit the Blue Sox by a 10-9 margin.

After two scoreless innings, Richardson sparked the 'Cats with a leadoff single in the bottom of the third before swiping second. Then, a batter later, Richardson broke for third and got there safely and benefitted from an error on the throw down to the bag, allowing him to score the first run of the contest that granted the home side a 1-0 lead after three innings.

But then in the sixth, Holyoke pushed the tying run aboard after Jonny Locher came in on a run-scoring double from Hendriks. The SteepleCats would respond with a run in the bottom of the seventh, as Landi singled to lead off, moved to second on another single, took third on an errant throw and scored on a groundout to reclaim the lead for the hosts.

Down by a run, Holyoke came through in the top of the eighth against reliever Doug Willey (Franklin Pierce), as Bruce struck for a one-out single, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Then, in the midst of a run-down between first and second, Bruce would sneak home to tie the contest at 2-2.

Despite some scoring chances for both teams, the game would be sent to extras until the Blue Sox tagged the deciding two hits and one run against Kennedy in the top of the 11th. Try as they might, the SteepleCats were repelled with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 11th, taking the tough loss in the process.

North Adams returns to action with a home tilt against Sanford tomorrow, July 27. First pitch from Joe Wolfe Field is set for 6:30 p.m.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 26, 2013


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