VALLEY BLUE SOX 2025 YEAR IN REVIEW
With the 2026 NECBL season less than a month away, we continue the 2025 Year in Review series with the Valley Blue Sox.
The Blue Sox narrowly missed out on a postseason berth, finishing the regular season 20-22, a game behind the South Division’s fourth-place Mystic Schooners. Blue Sox reliever Andrew Wertz proved to be the league's best in the back of the bullpen, allowing one earned run over 22 innings en route to the Joe Nathan Top Relief Pitcher award. Wertz made the All-NECBL First Team, alongside Louisiana Tech outfielder Sebastian Mexico. Alongside Wertz and Mexico, shortstop Michael Elko and starting pitcher Greg Shaw were All-NECBL Honorable Mentions. Mexico started for the South Division in the All-Star game, while Wertz and Shaw were both recognized as reserves.
Valley’s game of the year came within the first week of the regular season, in a June 8 contest against the Ocean State Waves at Mackenzie Stadium. Jack Levine took the ball for the Blue Sox, while JT Weaver started for the Waves.
The Blue Sox managed to jump out to an early lead, scoring twice in contrasting styles. In the bottom of the first, clean-up hitter Clay Burdette produced an RBI groundout to start the scoring. In the bottom of the third, Mexico belted a solo home run off of Weaver. Through three innings, Valley was on top 2-0 in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
That lead wouldn’t last long. NECBL 2nd teamer Gavin Greger got Ocean State on the board in the top of the fourth on an RBI double. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Greger scored on a sac fly from catcher Brandyn Durand. Through four innings, the two sides were tied 2-2.
Both offenses went silent thereafter. For Valley, Jack Niedringhaus, Marty Coyne, and Connor Byne tossed a combined 5.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing three total base runners. Ocean State was equally in control on the mound behind a combination of Weaver, Dylan McCarthy, and NECBL second-teamer Luc Lavigeuer. Nine innings were not enough to break the 2-2 tie.
While the first nine innings of play were a pitcher's duel, the 10th inning was the polar opposite. Ocean State displayed superb patience at the plate, walking three times, once with the bases loaded. Combined with an RBI single from left fielder Zach Plasschaert and a two-run single from right fielder Ryan Gerety, the Waves put four runs on the board and entered the bottom of the 10th with a 6-2 lead.
Needing at least four runs with three outs to go, the Blue Sox offense went to work. Nick Spaventa got the scoring started, coming off the bench to hit an RBI single. With the bases loaded, catcher Cade Carr was hit by a pitch, making it a 6-4 game. With the winning run on first base, Andrew Rogovic was unwilling to pitch to Mexico, walking him with the bases loaded to cut Ocean State’s lead to one. While Kayden Faulcon came in for Rogovic in relief, the Waves’ inability to find the strike zone continued. With one out and the bases still loaded, Michael O’Conor was hit by a pitch, tying the game up 6-6. With the winning run 90 feet away, Elko called game, hitting a walkoff RBI single to cap off a five-run 10th inning rally for Valley.
In addition to his walkoff hit, Elko led the game with three hits in five at-bats. Coyne stood out for the Blue Sox as their best arm on the day, pitching a scoreless sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, allowing two hits while striking out three Ocean State hitters.
Stay tuned for the next iteration of the 2025 NECBL year in review series, releasing Tuesday, May 12.
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat college summer league that fields teams in all six New England states. Partially funded by Major League Baseball, the New England League started play in 1994 and has sent over 240 alumni to the Major Leagues, with nearly 30 alumni taken in the first round of the MLB Draft. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
