HOLYOKE – It’s the bottom of the fourth inning, with two outs on an 0-2 count.
Logan Hugo swings on a line drive to the left. The ball takes a hop, but Tommy Melusky corrals it and makes a highlight throw, spinning off his back foot to the laid-out first baseman, which makes the play for our number three.
It looked like the final nail in the coffin for the Blue Sox, down by five. But the story was just beginning as the home team made an impressive effort to come back. It wasn’t enough, though, as the Ocean State Waves ultimately spoiled Irish Heritage Night with a thrilling 7-6 win over the Valley Blue Sox on Tuesday.
The Valley Blue Sox (8-6) came into this game on a three-game win streak, leading the West Division and 5-2 at their home stadium. Ocean State, on the other hand, playing in possibly the most competitive division in the league, sat in second place in the Coastal Division at 7-7.
Both teams were talented near the top of their divisions, and anticipation was brewing as the stadium filled and the stage was set for a heavy-hitting matchup.
In the early innings, Matt Lauria, the starting pitcher for the Valley Blue Sox, struggled from the very beginning. Giving up three runs off three hits over four innings with only two strikeouts, the Ocean State Waves jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
If that disparity was not enough, the field’s waves were even more relentless. Matthew Alduino started on the Waves mound, delivering four brilliant innings.
Giving up zero runs off two hits, with six strikeouts, along with the plays from Tommy Muleskey and the rest of the team in the outfield, the score was a healthy 5-0 through five innings.
At this point, the dominance of Waves seemed insurmountable, and the Blue Sox simply looked defeated in the dugout.
However, the Blue Sox, as they have over these last 10 games, persevered. Gaining momentum after a quick three outs to give themselves a chance offensively in the top of the sixth, the Blue Sox, led by Logan Hugo and Jonathon Hogart, began climbing back into this game.
First scoring three unanswered in the bottom of the sixth and repeating once again in the following inning, the Blue Sox found themselves with a one-run lead in the blink of an eye going into the ninth inning. The energy had shifted, and the roles had reversed for both teams as the Waves looked as deflated as ever.
At the top of the ninth, the Waves came out, bats blazing, and they quickly loaded the bases with one out. William Newell had pitched the previous inning on the mound for the Blue Sox and finished with two runs given up off two hits and one strikeout.
Blue Sox again found themselves in the hole going into the bottom of the inning.
Waves pitcher Dawson Logie closed beautifully with 0 hits or runs given up in the last two innings he pitched with three strikeouts, two of which came in the ninth. It was an unfortunate turn of events for the Blue Sox, Will Newell is a fantastic pitcher and was visibly emotional in the dugout.
However, at the end of the day, the Valley Blue Sox will move to face another formidable opponent when they hit the road to play the Bristol Blues on Wednesday night.
The Blues walk into the game as the new leader of the West Division by half a game with a record of 9-6. With the first pitch shortly after 6:35 p.m. at Muzzy Field, this game can be streamed on the NECBL Network.
