HOLYOKE – The Valley Blue Sox got back to the .500 mark on Monday night thanks to a 14-3 win over the North Adams SteepleCats at MacKenzie Stadium.
The Blue Sox improved to 15-15 overall, good enough for second place in the NECBL’s West Division behind only the Bristol Blues (21-7).
Valley starting pitcher Jared Kuryan threw six innings, striking out three and allowing six hits in the win.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Blue Sox got back in the game during the bottom of the third. Jevon Mason hit a hard grounder to the North Adams pitcher with the bases loaded, bringing in the tying run and re-loading the bases. The hosts got the go-ahead run when North Adams walked A.J. Guerrero, and scampered home twice in the same at-bat on a couple of pitches that got past the catcher.
Jack Dyke replaced Cohen Nies on the mound, but Ramon Jimenez blasted a ball to the center field fence to bring in Damaurys Rodriguez and Guerrero to make it 6-1; Jimenez also plated to finish out the third inning and give the home team a 7-1 lead.
The Blue Sox padded their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Guerrero singled and Jack Krause scored. They exploded again in the bottom of the fifth, posting five more runs to take a commanding 13-1 lead and put the game firmly out of reach.
Chase Hanson stole both second and third on Jack Krause’s at-bat, and then scored on his single to get the scoring started. Mason had another strong showing at the plate, securing a double that scored two runs. After Mason’s hit, Guerrero hit a grounder through the third-basemen’s leg that scored two more to give Valley their 13th run of the game.
North Adams closed the gap slightly in the top of the sixth, scoring twice to make it 13-3. Lucas DeLica scored Valley’s final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Tri-County League
Hector DeJesus singled home Owen Phelps in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Teddy Bear Pools walked off with an 8-7 victory over the Chicopee Tigers in a Tri-County League baseball game in South Deerfield.
The Poolmen (6-8) rallied with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the seventh of a 7-7 game. Phelps and Andrew Serio drew back-to-back walks with two outs, and DeJesus followed with a single to center field that allowed Phelps to scamper home with the winning run.
Cody Cleveland went 3 1/3 innings of relief (two earned runs) while Phelps got the final two outs in the top of the seventh and was credited with the win.
Devin Kellogg had two hits and two RBIs for the winners.
114th Mass. Amateur
A pair of local amateurs competed in the 114th Massachusetts Amateur Golf Championship on Monday at Concord Country Club.
Nate Patterson, representing Northampton Country Club, finished the day with a 9-over-par 79 and sits tied for 103rd. Jim Patterson, representing Orchards Golf Club, recorded a score of 15-over 85 and is tied for 130th. Arthur Zelmati of George Wright Golf Course had the top score of the day, firing a 3-under 67. Just five players in total broke par during Monday’s opening round.
Round 2 of the tournament begins on Tuesday before match play gets underway on Wednesday.