NORTH ADAMS, Masss. -- The North Adams SteepleCats ended their 2017 home slate with a victory on Monday night, defeating the Valley Blue Sox 4-3 at Joe Wolfe Field.

 

Monday's game was continued from July 17, and saw a home run from Ryan Schalch (Pacific) prove to be the decisive factor.

 

Before the game was suspended two weeks ago, the SteepleCats had taken a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Tyler Walters (Slippery Rock). Walters' single drove in Jonathan Engelmann (Michigan), who had clubbed a double earlier in the frame.

 

North Adams' 1-0 lead entering the day was extended in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dillon Paulson (USC) drew a walk, and a walk to Liam Sabino (Pittsburgh) was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of Schalch. With runners on first and third, JJ Shimko (South Carolina Upstate) singled to drive in Paulson, and Joe Gillette (Menlo College) followed with a sacrifice fly to give the SteepleCats a 3-0 lead.

 

Valley's only runs of the day came in the top of the sixth inning. Kyle Mottice (Cincinnati) led off the frame with a triple, and came in to score on an RBI single from Garrett Delano (Brown). Alex Rodriguez added a single of his own, and Chas Hadden (Belmont) doubled to drive in both runners. Hadden moved to third on another single, but was thrown out at the plate by Shimko on a flyout to end the inning with the game still tied.

 

The SteepleCat bullpen followed a solid effort from starter Robby Buffis (Ithaca) of Lanesborough with three scoreless inning to keep the Blue Sox bats at bay. Zach Reid (West Virginia) tossed two hitless innings with four strikeouts, and earned his first NECBL win in the process. Braxton Wilks (Abilene Christian) completed a stellar SteepleCat career that saw him go 11-1 over two seasons with a 1-2-3 ninth inning and his first save of the year.

 

Schalch provided the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs and no one on base, the Pacific Tiger launched a pitch over the left-center field wall for his third home run of the season. The final hit of the season at Joe Wolfe Field proved to be the game-winner when Wilks slammed the door on Valley in the ninth.

 

The 2017 NECBL season comes to an end for the SteepleCats on Tuesday, as the SteepleCats travel to Connecticut for a meeting with the Mystic Schooners. Mystic won the only meeting of the season between the two teams.