NECBL: Gregory Shaw, Valley Blue Sox edge Newport 1-0 for season-opening win

By RYAN AMES

Staff Writer

Published: 06-03-2025 10:34 PM

HOLYOKE – The Valley Blue Sox kicked off their 2025 New England Collegiate Baseball League season in the win column after downing the Newport Gulls, 1-0, at Mackenzie Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Gulls are the two-time reigning NECBL champions, yet the Blue Sox held them scoreless during their home opener under the lights. One hit was all the Blue Sox needed as a double from Mike Lucarelli during the third inning put the outfielder on base, before No. 9 eventually scored on an fielder’s choice double play a couple batters later.

Blue Sox starter Gregory Shaw earned the win on the bump, striking out six Newport batters while allowing two hits and walking one in five innings. Andrew Wertz collected the save during the ninth inning, striking out all three Gulls batters he faced, giving first year head coach and Holyoke native, Endy Morales, his first victory as manager of the Blue Sox.

“This is a full circle moment,” Morales said. “To get the first win here, in Holyoke, in front of my mom, in front of family and friends, that’s super special to me. I think these guys understand that. I don’t have to keep stepping on them with how much this means to me. It’s not about me, I don’t want them to do it for me, but it does feel good.”

Tuesday’s opener didn’t feature much offense as the teams combined for just four hits. The pitchers, on the other hand, feasted on batters on both sides as the final strikeout tally came in at 27 altogether. Shaw’s six K’s led the Blue Sox, who totaled 15 as a team after the nine-inning affair.

“We picked him as the Opening Day starter because he had the experience,” Morales said on Shaw. “Just with his pitch arsenal, that’s what is going to work for the first game of the season. Everyone’s shaking the rust off, first time using wooden bats in awhile, he was the perfect matchup for that.”

During his junior season at UConn this spring, Shaw paced the Huskies in appearances (26) on the mound and earned a perfect 4-0 record with a 4.45 ERA.

Randy Seymour, Andreaus Lewis and Shane Williams belted hits for Newport, which left seven runners on base Tuesday in its season-opening defeat. The Gulls have averaged 29 wins the past two seasons and knocked the Blue Sox out of the 2024 playoffs in a two-game sweep. Tuesday’s Blue Sox win was just their second ‘W’ in their last five meetings versus Newport.

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“I think when you’re writing the story of the Blue Sox, obviously we lose to them last year in the playoffs, then it’s to open up [this season], that does feel good,” Morales said. “But at the end of the day, it was less about the opponent and more about us. I think in the grand scheme of things, their roster is going to look a little bit different, but I still feel confident about what we did. It was less about them, more about us, what we did as a unit.”

The Blue Sox (1-0) are back in action at Mackenzie Stadium on Friday with another interconference matchup when they host the Keene SwampBats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.