WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. -- Earning a 6-5 comeback victory in the completion of the previously suspended game from July 27, the Valley Blue Sox proceeded to defeat the Upper Valley Nighthawks - 9-3 - in the regularly scheduled contest to sweep the slate on Tuesday evening at the Maxfield Sports Complex. 

Upper Valley falls to 22-21 on the season and have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Meanwhile, Valley improves to 30-12 and is the fifth-fastest team to the 30-game win mark in New England Collegiate Baseball League history, and has also clinched the top spot in the Northern Division heading into the postseason.

Upper Valley 5, Valley 6

Continuing where the rain stopped play on Friday evening, the Nighthawks bats came alive immediately, extending the already 2-0 lead to a 4-0 advantage through five frames. Resuming where we left off, Ross Cadena (Wichita State University) led off the day with an RBI double to plate a run. Ty Adcock (Elon University) scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to take a 4-0 lead.

The Blue Sox offense stunned the Nighthawks in the bottom of the 7th inning, plating five runs on five hits to take a 5-4 lead.

Upper Valley tied the game on a Greg Hardison (UNC Greensboro) RBI-single in the top of the 8th, which would go on to force extra innings, but Valley erased their progress, walking off on an RBI double in the 10th. 

Upper Valley starter Cole Stetzar (St. Joseph’s University) tossed 6.2 innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits and fanning five. Jordan DiValerio (St. Joseph’s University) hurled the final 2.2 innings, giving up two hits, one run, and striking out two.

Valley 9, Upper Valley 3 (7 innings)

The Nighthawks were quick to get on the scoreboard, plating three runs in the top of the first frame. Hardison and Cadena pieced together a pair of RBI singles before Riley Smith (University of Minnesota) drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to right field. 

The Blue Sox countered with an eight-run nightmare top of the second inning. Valley's offense dialed in on Upper Valley starter Brian Weissert (Fordham University) and took advantage of three errors, tallying eight runs on only four hits.

Valley plated an additional insurance run in the final inning, as Colin Dunn scored on a wild pitch, securing a 9-3 victory for the visitors.

Upper Valley starter Brian Weissert (Fordham University) threw just two innings, giving up eight runs on four hits and struck out two. Ty Adcock (Elon University) pitched two innings out of the bullpen, before making way for Davis Mikell (Castleton University). Claremont, NH native Chase Hussey (UMass Dartmouth) finished off the sixth inning before Jack Ipsen (Bryant University) finished off the game for the Nighthawks, giving up one run in the 7th. 

The Nighthawks are back in action tomorrow, hosting the Winnipesaukee Muskrats for their season finale at 6:30 P.M. It will be Fan Appreciation Night at the ballpark, sponsored by TomTom. Patrick Cavanaugh and JR Bravo will have the call on the NECBL Broadcast Network at 6:20 P.M.