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West Springfield native Christopher Torres enjoying opportunity with Valley Blue Sox

HOLYOKE – Valley Blue Sox pitcher Christopher Torres grew up right down the street of MacKenzie Stadium in West Springfield.

As a kid, he attended countless Blue Sox games and enjoyed all the action. He looked up to some players and knew he wanted to become one when he grew older.

That childhood dream came true years later. Torres, a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State University, is now a pitcher for Valley and is excited about the opportunity to grow as a player.

“My grandparents are from Holyoke. They’ve had season tickets for the past 10 years,” Torres said. “I’ve been at almost every single game growing up.”

Torres also attended many games with his friends growing up. Even though he cannot remember every game, one stood out and made him want to become a player even more.

Torres remembers one time when a little kid was raising money for his friend who had cancer by selling sports memorabilia. That day changed his vision of the type of player he wanted to be.

“I came to this game with friends. I met up with this kid, [Brady Kahil], who used to do fundraising for his friend who had cancer and recently passed away,” Torres said. “Ever since I’ve been with him, he’s changed my perspective on baseball.

“The kid selling baseball cards for his friend, I want to be one of those guys he enjoys watching.”

Fast-forward to the present. Torres has been very dominant for Valley. In three games, the southpaw has posted a 1.50 ERA in six innings pitched.

The New England Collegiate Baseball League, one of the country’s top collegiate baseball leagues, has produced some of Major League baseball’s top stars. However, the league’s players come from various schools in different divisions. Torres recognized this diversity and has used it to his advantage.

“The competition is some of the best in the country,” Torres said. “So many Division I kids are teaching me new things … it’s all a learning process.”

Players play in collegiate leagues to work on becoming a better player. Usually, it is in the form of becoming a better hitter or fielder, or in a pitcher’s perspective, working on different pitches. Though Torres has a goal to develop new pitches in his time with Valley, he’s also set another goal: being positive.

“I want to work on staying happy, even if I’m having a bad day,” Torres said. “It’s a league where I can bounce back, even if I have a good or bad day.”

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