SteepleCats Snap Skid
Julien Hernandez struck out nine hitters in five innings, and four North Adams pitchers combined to scatter eight hits in a 5-3 win over the division-leading Valley Blue Sox in New England Collegiate Baseball League action at Joe Wolfe Field.
Nathan Lincoln went 3-for-3 and Kyle Hannon doubled twice for the SteepleCats (2-12), who snapped a 12-game losing streak.
Even though it had not won since June 7 -- at home, against the Blue Sox -- North Adams has been in games more often than not. Six of its 12 losses have come by one run, including two of its last three games coming into Friday night.
First-year coach Ryan Abel said the lack of wins was wearing on his players.
"It was tough," he said. "It was tough for these guys. They were frustrated.
"But I kept saying, it's not lack of effort. It's lack of execution. These guys kept working, kept showing up. The offense has gotten better and better, and the pitching has improved."
Hernandez Friday lowered his earned run average to 4.20 after allowing two runs in five innings to pick up his first win of the summer.
He started the night with a bang, striking out the side in the top of the first.
"That's the third start of the year he's given us, and, honestly, all the starters have done a really good job keeping us in games, going deep and getting us to that sixth, seventh inning," Abel said.
"We haven't been able to finish games, but it felt good to finish that one today."
Valley (8-6) put runs on the board in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead into the fourth.
That is when the SteepleCats gave their faithful some hope by scoring their first run of the night.
Samuel Tackett worked a leadoff walk and went to third on Hannon's first double. Hudson Polk then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Tackett and make it a 2-1 game.
The SteepleCats took the lead one inning later.
Lincoln got the leadoff walk this time, and he went to third on Jack Reynolds' double to put two on with nobody out.
Aiden Stewart singled to left to drive in Lincoln, and Reynolds came home when Tremayne Cobb reached on an error to make it 3-2.
After scoring its first three runs with nobody out, North Adams tacked on insurance runs with two-out singles.
In the seventh, Lincoln led off the inning with a single and stole second. Then, after two men were retired, Cobb singled up the middle to make it 4-2.
In the eighth, Valley retired the first two hitters before Jefferson drew a walk. A balk moved him into scoring position, and Lincoln drove him home with a single to give the SteepleCats a three-run cushion.
"Those two-out singles and some of those leadoff doubles we've been looking for for a couple of weeks now," Abel said. "These guys are starting to find their swings, find themselves, get more comfortable in the box. And now we go."
A big play late helped keep it 4-2. In the top of the eighth, Valley's Antonio Guerrero led off with what looked like a sure extra base hit down the line in right, but Tackett made a diving play to keep the bases empty for Jack Wren, who completed the 1-2-3 inning.
"I think he's leading the league in home runs [four], so he's not really known for his defense," Abel said of Tackett. "But he's made soem good plays. He threw a guy out at third from right field yesterday, and he made that play today.
"I think he made a little bow to us after that one."
Wren was one of three relievers to take the hill after Hernandez left. Nicholas Feretic struck out two in a pair of 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh. Will Tobin pitched the ninth, locking down the save by getting a called third strike with runners on the corners.
North Adams goes to Bristol, Conn., on Saturday. Its next home game is Monday against Keene, N.H.
