Blue Sox Walk off vs. Saratoga
Published on June 21, 2013 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
HOLYOKE, MA""The Holyoke Blue Sox thrilled a crowd of 1,406 at Mackenzie Stadium as right fielder Vahn Bozoian ripped a walk-off double down the left-field line in the home half of the ninth to lead the team to a 3-2 victory over the Saratoga Brigade in a game where the Blue Sox never led except for at the very finale.
The Brigade started the scoring in the third inning thanks to a lead-off walk by third baseman Duncan Wendel; he was brought over to second on a base hit by right fielder Zach Looney and scored on an error by Holyoke second baseman Jason Lombardozzi.
Holyoke tied the game in the fifth inning when designated hitter Spencer Brann was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and came around to score thanks to a single by shortstop Scott Slappey and a groundout to short by Lombardozzi.
The Sox had the bases loaded in the sixth with no outs, but bad luck struck left fielder Grant Heyman as he lined the ball right at the first baseman of the Brigade, doubling off catcher Justin Morhardt in the process.
"Grant put a good swing on the ball, and you know what? That's baseball," manager Darryl Morhardt said of the unfortunate play.
In the seventh, both teams scored; Saratoga put together a two-out rally, with designated hitter Dylan Butler hitting a bases-loaded infield single in the top of the inning, and Holyoke replying in the home half with a bunt single by center fielder Jacob Bruce with a runner on third.
Closer Ben Rakus came on with one on and one out in the eighth, and shut the door, twirling 1.2 frames of no-hit ball. "Ben's been stealing a few wins for the Blue Sox. He wants the ball...he comes in and he's saving the day," Morhardt said.
His pitching set the stage for walk-off heroics in the bottom of the ninth, and the Blue Sox played the part. Third baseman Brendan Hendriks singled to shortstop, Bruce hit a little nubber down the third base line that no one could field, and then Bozoian came to the place and served the 0-1 fastball down the line to bring Hendriks in and send the Sox to the win.
"Knowing from previous at-bats that the pitch would be low and in, I ended up getting lucky and getting the barrel on the ball and putting it in fair territory," Bozoian said of the winning hit.
Rakus earned the win in relief, allowing just one walk while fanning two in improving to 3-0 on the year; taking the loss was Kevin Doherty, who threw two innings of relief where he allowed four hits and one walk while striking out two; Blue Sox starter Michael Burke went six innings, allowing one unearned run on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Holyoke native and tomorrow's starting pitcher Freddy Andujar and the Blue Sox get back in action tomorrow at home as they take on the North Adams Steeplecats in a Western Division matchup that is slated to start at 6:35 PM. It will be superhero night at Mackenzie Stadium, with appearances planned for both Batman and Superman.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 21, 2013
- Mystic's Late Strikes Sink Squier, 'Cats in 5-3 Setback - North Adams SteepleCats
- Blue Sox Walk off vs. Saratoga - Valley Blue Sox
- Danbury Bullpen Silences Swamp Bats' Hitters, Keene Loses 9-5 Falls To 2-8 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Bay Sox Fall to Vermont - New Bedford Bay Sox
- Newport Gulls Earn First Win at Holyoke Since 2006 - Newport Gulls
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