Blue Sox Win, Force Game 3 with Keene
August 5, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
HOLYOKE, MA-Once more, the Blue Sox found themselves facing a must-win game. Once more, they delivered, as right fielder Vahn Bozoian hit a go ahead two-run single and ace Michael Burke twirled a complete game in a 4-2 Holyoke victory that forces a decisive Game 3 at Alumni Field.
The Swamp Bats took advantage of a defensive collapse in the second by the Blue Sox to take a 2-0 lead. With two outs, the Blue Sox committed three straight errors, one by third baseman Brendan Hendriks and two by Bozoian, and two runs came in on those errors. The mistakes marked the seventh error in the series for Holyoke, and all seven runs for the Swamp Bats through two games have been unearned.
The Blue Sox got a run back in the fourth, as second baseman Joseph Carcone led off with a single and Hendriks ripped a double to deep left field to score him from first. Then, in the sixth, they loaded the bases with two outs for Bozoian, and in a moment of pure redemption, he drove the first pitch into center to plate two runners. Catcher Justin Morhardt and designated hitter Jason Lombardozzi then worked back-to-back walks to plate an insurance run.
That would be all Burke needed. He struck out the side in the following frame and added two more strikeouts in the ninth in the complete game victory; in his nine innings, he allowed two unearned runs on six hits, fanning nine without permitting a walk. In the loss, Keene starter Nicholas Kozlowski lasted 5.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and seven strikeouts, walking one.
Holyoke will send NECBL Pitcher of the Week Jordan Kutzer to the mound tomorrow in Keene for the winner-take-all contest; expected to oppose him is right-hander David Sosebee. The winner will battle the Vermont Mountaineers, who completed a sweep of the North Adams Steeplecats in extras; should Holyoke prevail, Game 1 would be Wednesday in Montpelier while Game 2 would be Thursday at 6:35 PM at Mackenzie Stadium, with gates to open at 5:30 PM.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 5, 2013
- Blue Sox Win, Force Game 3 with Keene - Valley Blue Sox
- Mountaineers Top 'Cats in Extras, 3-1, Sweep West Semifinals, 2-0 - North Adams SteepleCats
- Newport Gulls Complete Series Sweep of Sanford Mainers - Newport Gulls
- Burke Dazzles, Defeats Keene 4-2 In Game Two - Keene Swamp Bats
- Blue Sox Have Home Playoff Game Tonight - Valley Blue Sox
- Mainers Drop Game One - Sanford Mainers
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