Holyoke, MA- The SteepleCats limped into their first road game against the Valley Blue Sox. The Cats were reeling after losing their first two games of the season convincingly.

Early on, it looked as if the Cats' starting pitcher, Golden West College's Johnnie Valdez, would be the man to change the team's luck. After Blue Sox spotted North Adams three runs in the top of the first, Valdez looked nearly unhittable over his first few frames.

The right-hander was efficient early on, limiting his pitching count by pounding the strike zone and trusting his defense. The SteepleCats infield put on a show in the middle innings turning three double plays, two of which ended a scoring threat. 

After Blue Sox starter Chase Hanson came out after three, the bullpen took over and silenced the SteepleCats' offensive attack. Emmanual Corporan was electric on Thursday, not allowing a hit over three scoreless innings. Blue Sox scattered three hits over the final eight frames. 

After a hiccup in the fourth where the Blue Sox put a run across, North Adams hit the cruise control. It looked as if Valley had fallen asleep, but they certainly woke up in the bottom of the eighth.

Damaurys Rodriguez led off with a towering solo blast out to left field, bringing the deficit down to just two. Back-to-back walks to Blaze Fadio and Jacob Terwilliger turned the lineup over. In a flash, an RBI single by Rob Mattei and a few passed balls tied the game.

Neither the SteepleCats nor the Blue Sox could muster any offense in the ninth, so the game headed into extras. In the NECBL, games can only go eleven innings, and if the contest is still tied after the completion of the bottom of the eleventh, the game will end in a tie. Moreover, in extra innings, the frame begins with a runner on second base.

In the 10th, Pasqualini started on second base for the SteepleCats, and after a passed ball, he found himself on third base with still nobody out. Kyle Hannon, pinch-hitting for William Binder, found himself ahead in the count 3-0. He took a surprising hack at the 3-0 offering and fouled off a pitch that appeared to be ball four.

Hannon wound up getting caught looking as Terwilliger struck out the side. The Blue Sox went quietly in their half of the tenth, and the SteepleCats did the same in the top of the eleventh.

Lucas DiLuca began the eleventh at second base. Rob Mattei flew out to center, which brought up the right fielder Danny Melnick. Melnick got a pitch he could hit and promptly ended the game with an RBI single up the middle, winning the game for the Blue Sox.

This was a heart-breaking loss for North Adams as their record falls to 0-3. They will look to right the ship on Friday in an away game against the Ocean State Waves. First pitch is at 6:30, and Nova Southeastern University's Cooper Omans will start for the Cats. 

You can stream tonight's game through this link: https://necblnetwork.com/?B=395009.