Errors Prove Costly for Blue Sox, 6-4
July 4, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
HOLYOKE, MA - Four errors, including a two-run mistake in the ninth, led to the Blue Sox dropping their third contest in as many days as they fell in front of a crowd of 503 at Mackenzie Stadium to division rival Danbury 6-4.
The Blue Sox struck first in the first frame, taking advantage of early jitters by Danbury starter Cam Hatch to plate a pair; newcoming second baseman Joseph Carcone led off with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Sal Annunziata, and center fielder Jacob Bruce, who had singled to put Carcone on third, was brought in by a single by third baseman Brendan Hendriks.
In the third, Danbury would score their first of the game, as Eric Yavarone singled, advanced further on another single, and then came home on a sacrifice fly by Greg Pezzuto.
In the fifth, Annunziata led off by being hit by a pitch, and promptly stole second. That allowed him to score when left fielder Joel Fisher stroked a single to left to re-establish a two-run advantage.
In the seventh, the defense began to unravel for Holyoke; after a leadoff walk to Daniel Spignola, an error by Hendriks allowed him to reach third and batter Alex Tuccio to reach first; Spignola scored on a wild pitch and then Tuccio reached home on a single by Christopher Riopedre.
Holyoke regained the lead in the eighth on an error by the Westerners; after right fielder Grant Heyman ripped a two-out double, Carcone singled up the middle. Heyman tried to score on the play and did because the throw from center reached the backstop.
However, the final frame would prove to be the most costly to Holyoke. A pair of leadoff singles put runners on for the Westerners, and after a ground ball put them in scoring position, Riley Palmer hit a short fly to left. Jonathan Testani scored on the play as the throw from left came up well short. Then, the Westerners loaded the bases on back-to-back walks, the first intentional, bringing up Tuccio. He hit a one-hopper to first that was mishandled by Annunziata, allowing two runs to score; Holyoke could not get a runner on in the ninth and fell by the 6-4 final.
Blue Sox starter Jordan Kutzer went 7.1 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts; taking the loss was Ben Rakus, who was charged with two runs (one earned) on two hits in his inning of work. The winner for Danbury was Ryan Carter, who needed just nine pitches for a perfect ninth that included two strikeouts.
Holyoke next plays at Keene tomorrow at 6:30 PM; they next return home Saturday July 6 at 6:35 PM to take on Team Canada in an exhibition contest on Team Poster Night.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 4, 2013
- Errors Prove Costly for Blue Sox, 6-4 - Valley Blue Sox
- Soloman's Seventh-Inning Double Lifts 'Cats Past 'Skrats, 6-4, on Fourth of July - North Adams SteepleCats
- Swamp Bats Defeat Brigade 3-2 In 10 Innings - Keene Swamp Bats
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