By Matt Kotfila

HOLYOKE - “The big word we used today pregame was confidence,” said Valley Blue Sox manager Endy Morales post game Saturday, on the heels of a 2-1 win over the division leading Newport Gulls.

A tie through the first six innings of the game culminated when Valley outfielder Chris Carson lifted a single into the outfield that scored the eventual winning run in Andrew Loikits. 

“It’s a guy that came through who joined the team a little bit later [into the season], and ultimately is starting to hit his groove … it doesn’t have to just be the guys that have been hot all summer. Today, it was a guy that was just getting going,” said Morales. 

Valley accumulated 13 hits on Tuesday, which came from seven different batters. Sebastian Mexico went 3-4, while Sean Darnell, Hayden Perry, Loikits and Carson all added two hit games. The initial run for Valley scored in the first inning when Isaac Wachsmann hit into a double play, scoring Michael Elko. 

The lone run for Newport scored on a single from Adam Agresti, who went 2-4 on the night. Michael Gupton also had a 2-4 performance, scoring on Agresti’s single. Matthew Bolton, Kyle Branch and Randy Seymour provided the other Newport hits, resulting in a total of seven. 

The Blue Sox threw five pitchers, starting recently named 2025 NECBL All-Star Beau Elson. Elson struck out five batters across four innings, allowing one run.

The Valley bullpen group of Will Newell, Max McCrary, Jack Potteiger and Andrew Wertz pitched a scoreless five innings. McCrary earned the win, allowing one hit over two innings. Wertz was given the save for his two strikeout ninth inning. 

Newport’s starting pitcher, Finbar O’Brien, allowed nine hits but only one run in five innings of work. Tristan Bartow got the loss, allowing the winning run in his three relief innings pitched. 

Tuesday’s win secured the season series for Valley over Newport by a final score of three games to two. This comes at a pivotal moment for Valley, with Newport tied for first place in the South Division as the season winds down. 

“To win a close game, with really good pitching, it just shows that regardless of what’s been going on throughout the summer, and we’ve had our skids, if we take care of the baseball and we put pressure on offense, we’re going to win a game, and doing it against those guys is special,” said Morales. 

The Blue Sox record moves to 14-16, and they will continue their playoff push tomorrow in Bristol against the Blues.