Blue Sox Use Late Heroics in 11-9 Extra Innings Victory
August 6, 2011 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
Holyoke, MA - Playing on the road has not been a problem for the Blue Sox this season due to the fact that most of the stadiums they travel to have shorter dimensions than their home ballpark Mackenzie Stadium. The Western Division Finals started at Alumni Field where the Blue Sox have seen success this season, but have also tasted defeat thanks to shorter fences at the home of the Swamp Bats. Earlier in the evening the Laconia Muskrats and Sanford Mainers went into extra innings, and Holyoke and Keene decided to follow suit with a drama filled game which would take 10 innings to determine a winner, and the Blue Sox would come out on top 11-9 in the end. Heading into the ninth inning, it looked as though the Swamp Bats were going to roll to an easy 9-4 series opening victory. But the Blue Sox decided to add some drama to the playoffs as they chipped away slowly pulling the score to 9-5, and Justin Ringo stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and only one out. Ringo, who had only hit one home run in the entire season, picked the perfect time to hit his second as the grand slam, the second for the Blue Sox this season, tied the game at nine apiece. Keene would threaten in its half of the inning, but the game was destined for extra innings. The Blue Sox would once again get the bases loaded in the tenth inning, and would score two runs without recording a single hit in the inning. With the bases juiced Paul McConkey's patience paid off as a 3-2 pitch from T. J. Ferguson's payoff pitch missed outside and allowed Sam Eberle to cross the plate making it 10-9 Holyoke. The Blue Sox would get another run given to them on a wild pitch from Anthony Cervone as his first delivery sailed over the head of the Keene catcher. Tom Murphy took advantage of this and raced home making it 11-9, which would be the final score. Ryan Harvey, who came in the ninth inning, stayed on in the tenth to shut the door on the Swamp Bats and record the win for the Blue Sox. The Blue Sox used three home runs to drive in eight of their 11 runs as Eberle hit s two-run shot in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Ronnie Freeman joined the party in the seventh inning with his own two-run shot, and of course Ringo was the hero with a grand slam to tie the game in the ninth inning. Holyoke improves to a perfect 3-0 in the 2011 NECBL Playoffs and is one win away from a trip to the NECBL Championship series for the first time in franchise history. Game two of this series will be played on Sunday at Mackenzie Stadium with the game starting at 6:35 p.m., and Desmond Paulson is being sent to the mound for the Blue Sox as they look to clinch the Western Division Championship.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 6, 2011
- Ringo's ninth inning game-tying grand slam sparks Holyoke's come-from-behind victory - Keene Swamp Bats
- Blue Sox Use Late Heroics in 11-9 Extra Innings Victory - Valley Blue Sox
- Mainers Lose Game One To Laconia In Extras - Sanford Mainers
- Laconia, Sanford, Holyoke and Keene Advance to NECBL Semi-Finals - NECBL
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