HOLYOKE – The Valley Blue Sox, managed for the first time by 2018 NECBL Best Starting Pitcher award winner Endy Morales, defeated the defending two-time champion Newport Gulls to open their season on Tuesday.
In a pitcher’s duel, the Blue Sox staff retired 15 Newport batters via strikeout.
“You set the tone with that,” said Morales of his team’s performance on the mound. “It’s kind of what we needed. Sure, it’d be great if the offense came out and was hitting and scoring a bunch of runs.
“But at the end of the day, we all know pitching is what gets it done … I feel like the guys came out and just commanded their best stuff.”
Returning Blue Sox All-Star Gregory Shaw earned the win, throwing five innings and fanning six batters. Ethan Slowik struck out the side in the sixth, while Jack Potteiger and Jack Geiser took care of the seventh and eighth, striking out three total batters.
The ninth inning belonged to Andrew Wertz, who struck out the side to secure the win and the save.
The lone run, which ended up being the winner for Valley, came in the bottom of the third inning. After the bases were loaded on an error by Gulls’ third baseman Petey Craska, Chris Walsh brought in Valley’s winning run on a weak ground ball that resulted in a double play.
Valley’s Andrew Loikits went 1-2 with a BB, while Clay Burdette stole the lone base of the game. For Newport, Shane Williams, Andreaus Lewis, and Randy Seymour picked up base hits. Pitchers Drew DeLucia, Finbar O’Brien, and Blake Julius were calm on the mound, striking out 11 Valley batters and only allowing one run.
Tuesday’s win for the Blue Sox represented redemption, as they knocked off a Newport team that swept them in the NECBL playoffs last season.
However, Morales is more concerned with his team this season.
“I think when you’re writing the story of the Blue Sox, obviously we lost to [Newport] last year in the playoffs,” Morales said. “And [tonight] is to open up the season. That does feel good. But at the end of the day, it was less about the opponent and more about us.”
Morales also mentioned that the team is looking forward, not back.
“In the grand scheme of things, their roster is going to look a little bit different,” he said. “But I still feel confident about what we did … when they do get more of their guys that are coming in, obviously that roster is going to look different, but we’ll find out next weekend.”
In the short term, Morales is focused on the task at hand.
“Tomorrow is the most important one,” he said.
The Blue Sox will travel to Mystic on Wednesday for a 6:30 p.m. matchup with the Schooners.
