Stars, Stripes and a SteepleCats Win
.JPG) Fireworks lit up the sky Sunday night following the SteepleCats' 7-6 victory over Holyoke. |
More than 3,300 people paid to enter Joe Wolfe Field on Sunday night for the SteepleCats' 7-6 win over the Holyoke Blue Sox. Hundreds more were allowed in free of charge after the seventh inning. The game lasted just under 3 ½ hours, which led to the fireworks display starting a half-hour later than the projected time of 9:30.
The late start didn't dismay the patriotic masses, however, as there were plenty of "oohs" and "aahs" while explosions brightened an otherwise clear and starry sky.
Eight-year-old Tanner King, of Bennington, Vt., has attended the annual firework show in North Adams since he was a baby. Though it was a bit past his bed time, he was quite lively following the fireworks, which ended at about 10:30 p.m.
"This was the best one I've seen," King said.
.jpg) People wait patiently for their turn to exit the Steeple City Plaza following Sunday night's fireworks show. |
Kelly Fehlner, a native of North Adams who now lives in Newburyport, Mass., attended the game with her husband and three young children. She prepared well for the traffic jam and the ensuing three-hour ride back to Newburyport.
"We've got their pajamas in the car, so they'll be sleeping the whole way home," she said.
As for the game, it was the quickness of Devin Shines that catapulted the 'Cats to victory. With the game tied 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Shines legged out an infield single to start the game-winning rally. He swiped second base, then stole third base before being driven home by Kyle Saul’s single to center field.
Shines, 21, of Austin, Texas, later caught the final out of the ball game, tracking down a fly ball on the warning track in right-center field. He pumped his fist, then celebrated with his teammates.
The 'Cats have had plenty of reasons to celebrate so far this season; they are 15-7 — the most wins in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) — and they’re in sole possession of first place in the Western Division.
.JPG) Devin Shines
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The Fourth of July crowd was almost seven times the number of fans who attended Thursday night’s home game against the Vermont Mountaineers.
“There were a lot of people here tonight,” Shines said. “They told us it was going to be a big crowd, but I didn’t expect it to be this big. You get more excited. Everybody is out here, cheering you on. It gets you going.”
David Bond attended his first Fourth of July game as the SteepleCats’ president. The North Adams city councilor said it was much different to experience the festivities as a member of the team’s front office, a stark contrast to his past visits as a fan.
Instead of base hits, strikeouts and blown calls, Bond was focused more on fan safety, long concession lines and the game’s length.
“The game is a little bit long right now and everybody is anxious to watch some fireworks,” Bond said during the sixth inning. “As far as operations are concerned, I’d love to get this many fans at every home game. Everything is going very smooth, and I’ve had very, very few complaints.
“It’s different than being at the game for the fun of it. This is different because this is my business, and I have to make sure that all of my customers are taken care of. The only thing I would fix is if I could get ice cream to people faster and to get that line down.”
Late in the ball game, a scary moment delayed the game for several minutes as a fan sitting on the first-base side was hit in the nose by a scorching line drive. The man received medical attention before being taken away by ambulance. He was conscious and the injury didn’t appear to be anything more serious than a broken nose; he playfully waved to fans while being carted away by EMTs.
The fireworks were provided by Berkshire Fireworks, a company based out of Great Barrington. George Canales, of North Adams, has been helping organize the firework show for 25 years.
“It’s a great show for a small community like this,” he said.
Check back later this week for more photos from Sunday night's Fourth of July celebration at Joe Wolfe Field.
