Division Leaders Stumble Again as Valley, Bristol Earn Key Road Wins
North Adams, MA – Sunday across the NECBL saw both division races tighten as Sanford and Martha’s Vineyard suffered losses. Valley cruised past the Mainers behind an eight-run performance, Bristol continued its recent surge against the Sharks, and Ocean State rallied past North Shore to remain one of the league’s hottest teams.
Sanford Mainers vs. Valley Blue Sox
Final Score: Blue Sox 8, Mainers 2
Sanford, ME - The Valley Blue Sox walked into Sanford, Maine and walked out with an 8-2 win over the Sanford Mainers on Sunday afternoon. The Mainers defense killed them repeatedly, notching five errors over the course of the game.
Jack Myers (Georgia Southern) started the scoring in the second with an RBI single. Valley added three more runs in the third inning, thanks to a two-run shot from Brett Rogers (Middle Tennessee) and an RBI single from Matt Wolfe (Middle Tennessee).
Sanford struck back with their only runs of the game in the bottom half of the third. Nick Zampieron (Stony Brook) notched an RBI single, and a throwing error from Blue Sox shortstop Anthony Grabau (Fordham) plated their second and final run.
Despite the Mainers only being down 4-2 entering the ninth, third baseman Jackson Sirois (Maryland College Park) committed a pair of errors in the top of the ninth that brought in a pair of runs each.
Gregory Bruno (Seton Hall) got the win, pitching two scoreless innings while striking out two. Alfred Mucciarone (UMass Lowell) took the loss, allowing one run in his two innings pitched.
The Mainers have one last game on their homestand, as the Martha's Vineyard Sharks visit Goodall Park on Monday night. Valley will head back home as the Mystic Schooners take them on Monday.
Vermont Mountaineers vs. Danbury Westerners
Final Score: Westerners 5, Mountaineers 3
Montpelier, VT - The Danbury Westerners took a 5-3 win over the Vermont Mountaineers on Sunday night. Ronan Donohue (Sacred Heart) was electric, going 3-for-4 with three RBI in the two-hole.
An RBI groundout from Mountaineers left fielder David Alvarez (Eastern Kentucky) kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the first. Donohue one-upped that with a two-run homer in the third inning, his third of the year, to give Danbury a 2-1 lead. Vermont tied it back up in the bottom half, thanks to a bases loaded walk from JJ Parsons (UNC Greensboro).
Danbury notched another pair of runs in the sixth inning via an RBI groundout from Aidan Stern (Trinity College), and an RBI single from Donohue. A delay due to weather occurred during the seventh inning, however both teams played through it.
Vermont got one back in the seventh after Parsons got in a rundown, allowing Bryce Rudisill (Mt. Saint Mary's) to score from third. Michael Delph (West Point) extended Danbury's lead to two with an RBI single in the ninth.
Garret Snyder (Notre Dame) went back out for his fourth inning of action and put Vermont down 1-2-3 to end the game, and secure himself the win. Kody Collins (Middle Georgia St.) took the loss, allowing two runs in his one inning pitched.
Danbury will head out to White River Junction to take on the Upper Valley Nighthawks on Monday night. Vermont has Monday night off, as they prepare for a matchup against the Martha's Vineyard Sharks on Tuesday.
Upper Valley Nighthawks vs North Adams Steeple Cats
Final Score: Steeple Cats 4, Nighthawks 1
North Adams, MA- Early runs for North Adams helped them pull away with the win in Sunday's pitching duel.
Bobby Stang (Dayton) got the Steeple Cats off to an early lead with an RBI in the bottom of the first inning. Sebastian Rhoades (Delgado Community College) was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded, scoring Chris Diaz (Marist) from third, followed by a two RBI single up the middle by Jake Butler (George Mason). The Nighthawks lone run came off a solo home run by Frank Kelly (High Point) in the top of the third.
Niklas Pavia (Portal) earned his second win of the season going six innings only allowing one earned run on no walks with seven strikeouts. Parker Guthrie (Washington) earned his first save, going one inning allowing only one hit and no runs, no walks with two strikeouts.
The Nighthawks bullpen was also strong today, with Micah Wells (Portal) going 3.1 innings allowing no runs on three hits, no walks and two strikeouts. Eric Santaella (Portal) was also strong, going one inning allowing no runs with only one hit and no walks with one strike out, but unfortunately it was too late.
The Steeple Cats will look to keep things rolling as they head up to Goodall Park tomorrow to take on the Sanford Mainers, while the Nighthawks head home to Maxfield Sports Complex to host the Danbury Westerners.
Ocean State Waves vs North Shore Navigators
Final Score: Waves 6, Navigators 3
South Kingstown, RI – The Ocean State Waves rallied from an early deficit to defeat the North Shore Navigators 6-3 on Sunday afternoon.
The Navs opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on two defensive errors to secure an early 2-0 advantage. Grayson Carpenter (U of Dayton) scored on an error, and Jay Slater (Northwestern) followed with an RBI groundout.
The Waves answered in the bottom of the third when William Mahala (UVA) scored on an error and Thomas Meluskey (New Mexico State) laced an RBI single to tie the contest.
Ocean State broke the tie in the fourth frame. Cameron Papetti (Bryant) hit an RBI double, and Meluskey followed with a two-RBI single to push the lead to 5-2.
North Shore cut into the deficit in the fifth as Danny Flynn (Northeastern) scored on an error, but Justin Hackett (Bryant) delivered an RBI single in the bottom half to secure the three-run victory.
Matthew Cruz (Rutgers) earned the win on the mound, while Justin Fryer (Northwestern) was charged with the loss. Trey Telfer (San Diego State) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.
North Shore hopes to bounce back tomorrow against the Keene SwampBats at home, while the Waves have an off day before hosting the Valley Blue Sox on Tuesday night.
Martha Vineyard Sharks vs Bristol Blues
Final Score: Blues 7, Sharks 4
Oak Bluffs- The Bristol Blues broke open a close game with a four-run fourth inning and held off a late Martha's Vineyard rally to secure a 7-4 victory on Saturday night. Bristol collected seven hits and drew eight walks, while its pitching staff combined to limit the Sharks despite allowing 11 hits.
After the teams traded early runs, Bristol seized control in the fourth. Nicholas Francuzenko (Towson) led the offensive charge, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a two-run double that highlighted the inning. Ryan Maggy (West Virginia) added an RBI single, while Antonio Ducatelli (Central Connecticut State University) reached base three times and scored twice. Christopher DiPrima (Yale) crossed the plate twice and helped create scoring opportunities from the top half of the lineup.
Martha's Vineyard kept applying pressure offensively. Jack Kamin (Tufts) paced the Sharks with three hits and an RBI, while Nick Rubino (Wake Forest) collected two hits and drove in two runs. Kevin Hall (U of Alabama Birmingham) added a pair of hits and scored a run, and Jackson Taylor (Clemson) finished with two hits and two runs scored. Ty Fredo (Mount Saint Mary's) also contributed an RBI as the Sharks chipped away at Bristol's lead.
On the mound, John Hughes (Michigan) earned the win for Bristol, allowing one run over five innings while striking out three. The Blues bullpen bent but did not break, with Sam Michel (Northwestern), Mason Glickman (University of New Haven), Ethan Marzo (Boston College), and Brycen Diaz (Elms College) bridging the game to closer Thomas Galusha (Bryant), who recorded the final out for his first save of the season.
For Martha's Vineyard, starter Thomas Achey (Stetson) worked two innings before Michael Devenney (Tulane) took the loss after surrendering four runs in relief. Ben Waterman (Lafayette College), James Beasley (Princeton), Landon O'Donnell (Portal), and Ethan Santerre (Salve Regina) combined to keep the game within reach, but Bristol's fourth-inning outburst proved to be the difference as the Blues improved to 7-8 while the Sharks.
The Bristol Blues will return home Tuesday night to play against the Sanford Mainers. Martha Vineyard Sharks will travel to Goodall Park Monday night to compete against the Sanford Mainers.
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The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat collegiate summer league featuring teams across all six New England states. Since its founding in 1994, the NECBL has produced more than 230 Major League Baseball alumni, including nearly 30 first-round MLB Draft selections. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
