NEWPORT, R.I – The Valley Blue Sox came up short against the Newport Gulls 18-4 on Monday night at Cardines Field, falling to 3-2 on the season after a rough night on the mound.
After the Valley Blue Sox opened the season with a 1-0 win over Newport, the Blue Sox couldn’t manage the same success in this matchup. Newport came out aggressive offensively, piling on seven runs in the first two innings and never slowing down.
Starting pitcher Jack Geiser struggled to find his rhythm early, allowing three runs and four hits in the first inning. The top of the Gulls’ batting order wasted no time in setting the tone for the night by taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Newport eventually added four more runs in the second inning off relief pitcher Conor Wolf, extending the lead to 7-0.
Newport starting pitcher Drew DeLucia kept the Blue Sox batting in check through four innings. Delcuia walked three, gave up one run, and struck out four with his combinations of splitters and sinkers.
His lone error came in the top of the third when Tyler Bak stepped up to the plate and gave Valley their first home run of the night.
Despite Bak doing it on both ends of the field, Newport’s batters stayed hot. Relief pitcher Jake Andrews entered in the fourth inning for the Sox and struggled by walking two and allowing five runs. Gulls infielder Randy Seymour shined in the fourth inning, pushing the lead to 14-1.
Relief pitcher Max Debiec replaced DeLucia in the fifth and allowed two runs but halted any potential momentum from the Blue Sox. The Gulls continued to pile it on by recording 13 hits and 14 runs through six innings and adding two by the start of the seventh inning.
Andrew Jergins and Brycen Diaz pitched the sixth and seventh innings for the Blue Sox, but the damage was already done. Valley added just one more run in the top of the seventh to make it 16-3.
The Valley Blue Sox look to redeem themselves on Tuesday night as they remain on the road to compete against the Ocean State Waves from Old Mountain Field at 6:30 p.m.
