White River Junction
Lau spent eight innings Friday night behind the plate as Upper Valley’s catcher and, for the second straight game, shut the door in the ninth inning as the team’s closer as the Nighthawks held on for a 4-3 win against the Valley Blue Sox at the Maxfield Sports Complex.
The Nighthawks (18-23) now sit alone in fifth place in the NECBL’s Northern Division, a half-game behind the Vermont Mountaineers for the fourth and final playoff spot. Second-place Valley (22-18) is already set for the postseason.
“I don’t know what it is right now, but I’m pretty locked in,” Lau said. “I must be eating my Wheaties. I’m more relaxed. The whole feeling in the dugout is more relaxed. That really translates in the at-bats, when you’re not trying too hard, even on the mound when you’re not throwing too hard. You’re just doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
Friday’s victory succinctly illustrated the Nighthawks’ turnaround. Upper Valley entered the game 0-4 against the Blue Sox this season, the only team in the league that the Nighthawks hadn’t been able to solve.
Bill Maier, Upper Valley’s ace, allowed six hits and two earned runs and recorded a strikeout for his fourth win of the summer. Lau was credited with the save.
“When Brian (Lau) is catching, he closed last night. We didn’t want to have to bring Brian in,” said Nighthawks GM Noah Crane, who managed the team for suspended coach Nick Cenatiempo, who was thrown out of Wednesday’s loss at Sanford. “But we were out of options at that point. … We thought Brian is our best velocity guy. Let’s give them a change.”
Sidearmers Avery Fliger and Nick Jones also made appearances in the game. Jones has seen a heavy workload in the Nighthawks’ late-season turn-around, making his third appearance of the week on Friday.
The Nighthawks struck first in the second inning on an RBI double from K.J. White that brought home Walker Grisanti from second base. Al Molina, after a lead-off triple into deep center field in the third inning, was brought home on a sacrifice fly from Joey Denison to right field. Upper Valley took that 2-0 lead in to the fourth.
Valley scored in fifth to cut Upper Valley’s lead in half. But the Nighthawks added insurance in the sixth with a two-RBI single from White that drove in Zack Canada and Grisanti for a 4-1 lead.
White, a late addition to the Nighthawks, was 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the victory. Al Molina was 4-for-4 with a run scored.
“I’ve been working on some stuff in the cage with coach (Matt) Lynch,” Molina said. “Some minor adjustments to my swing, staying short and staying through the ball. I’ve been grinding it out; I’ve been working hard. I’m seeing the results.”
Molina committed an error in the seventh inning to pull Valley back into the game. The Nighthawks shortstop took a ground ball from the Blue Sox’s Chris Starcun and sailed the ball over second baseman Austin Embler’s head and into right field. Two runs scored on the play, putting Valley within striking distance.
“I think I tried to get a little too flashy, maybe,” Molina said. “That’s just one of those plays you’ve got to throw in the garbage and move on.”
For Crane, the Nighthawks seem like they’re on cruise control. Things are starting to fall their way, and a consistent lineup is starting to produce. More importantly, his team is getting hot at the right time.
But Upper Valley’s most important games of the season are still in front of them: a Sunday afternoon game against the slumping Keene Swamp Bats and a doubleheader against in-state rival Vermont on Monday. For perhaps the first time all summer the Nighthawks, riding some newfound confidence, feel like a playoff spot is finally within their reach.
“That’s what (Valley) is going to remember when we play them in the playoffs, more so than all of the other losses we’ve had (against them),” Lau said. “It’s good psychologically for us. … It just feels like we just can’t do anything wrong.”
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.