HOLYOKE, Mass. -- The North Adams SteepleCats mounted a rally in the sixth and seventh innings, but fell one run short in a 7-6 defeat to the Valley Blue Sox at Mackenzie Stadium.
The Blue Sox have won each of the first two contests with the SteepleCats, with each game decided by one or two runs.
Valley scored the first seven runs of the game in four consecutive innings, beginning with a run in the bottom of the second. Joe Mercadante (LIU Brooklyn) was hit by a pitch, and after stealing second base, scored on a Mac Wilson (North Florida) single. Two Ryan Tapp (UNC Asheville) strikeouts with the bases loaded kept the Blue Sox to just one run.
In the bottom of the third, Hunter Fain (Morehead State) doubled with one out, scoring Nathan Soria (Xavier) and Andrew Rouse (Marist). A double play allowed the 'Cats to again avoid further damage. Two more runs scored for the Blue Sox in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch.
Singles by Wilson and Soria brought in two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, giving the host Blue Sox a 7-0 lead.
The SteepleCats started to chip back into the game with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Eddie Haus (St. Mary's) and Michael Gulino (Pace) hit singles to lead off the inning, and moved to second and third on a groundout. Haus came in for the first North Adams run on a wild pitch before Tyler Walters (Slippery Rock) crushed his second home run of the season into the Valley bullpen.
Three more runs crossed in the top of the seventh, getting North Adams within one run. Jake Ackerman (Mission College) recorded his second hit of the game, a double, and Haus followed with a double of his own to score the catcher with one out. After an obstruction call and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Dillon Paulson (USC) singled home two runs to make it a one run game.
Despite Gulino singling in the ninth for the first hit of the season against Valley closer Tyler Smith (Canisius), the SteepleCats were unable to push across a tying run. The winning pitcher was starter Kendall Jefferies (Rice), while Tapp took the loss with nine walks. Smith picked up his fifth save of the campaign.
North Adams remains on the road on Saturday, finishing a set of three games in five days with the Vermont Mountaineers at Montpelier Recreation Field. Reigning NECBL All-Star Braxton Wilks (Abilene= Christian) gets the ball for the SteepleCats.
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