HOLYOKE – In a nail-biting 1-2 count with 2 outs at the top of the third inning, Blue Sox pitcher David Case is locked in a fierce faceoff with hitter Blake Schaaf, with a runner on second base. It remained scoreless as both pitchers controlled the game.
Case threw a slider just outside, and Schaaf responded with a ground hit toward first baseman Andre Vidal, who made a spectacular diving play at the plate to close out the inning. What seemed like a routine highlight play to close out an inning turned out to be a game-changer.
It sparked a momentum swing, propelling the Valley Blue Sox to score three runs over each of the next two innings and eventually win 6-4 on Wednesday evening.
This surge in performance gave them a commanding 6-0 lead, completely altering the game’s dynamics as they headed into the fifth inning. Case performed well on the mound, with five strikeouts over three innings pitched and no runs given up.
On the other hand, Ryan Douglas had a mediocre debut season for the Sanford Mainers. He allowed five earned runs over three innings with only one strikeout.The two teams combined for 15 walks, with the Blue Sox having 13. However, the team also had 14 strikeouts,
The Valley Blue Sox ended up winning this game 6-4, giving up three runs in the third inning. The Sanford Mainers’ pitching was the main culprit in the final score, but at the end of the day, the Blue Sox bounced back significantly from a scoreless season opener to an offensive domination in their home opener in less than 48 hours.
Logan Hugo led the way again with two RBIs.
The Blue Sox look forward to their next game, Thursday night, against the Bristol Blues at Mackenzie Stadium. The first pitch will be shortly after 6:35 PM, and the game can be streamed on ESPN+ or the NECBL Network.
