White River Junction
Walker Grisanti swatted the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the eighth inning and watched it sail over the right-center field fence for a two-run home run at Maxfield Sports Complex, giving the Nighthawks the 9-8 victory over the Mainers. The homer, and the victory it set up, tied the best-of-three series, 1-1, and forced a decisive Game 3 tonight at Sanford’s Goodall Park.
Nighthawks general manager Noah Crane knew Grisanti’s hit, a bullet high and deep into right-center, was out when he left the bat. Acting as the press box scorekeeper Friday night, Crane, and the record crowd of 629 that packed Maxfield, lifted their arms in celebration as the Vanderbilt product rounded the bases.
“I was going to say to (Nighthawks broadcaster) Dave (Collins), he’s going to hit this out,” Crane said. “It was remarkable. … I felt good about that. He smoked that thing.”
“No bleeping way,” pitcher-catcher Brian Lau said as he watched Grisanti’s bomb sail behind the fence. “I couldn’t believe it. That was crazy. That was the cherry on top.”
A tortuous schedule, nagging injuries to key players and outside distractions have galvanized the Nighthawks in this unlikely playoff run. Upper Valley staved off elimination for the fourth time in four days, including two seven-inning play-in games on Wednesday that secured for the Nighthawks the Northern Division’s fourth and final playoff spot.
“We’re all tired. We’re gassed,” Lau said. “But I’m glad we could do this for the home crowd.”
When asked what changed in between playoff games, Lau added, “About 12 hours of sleep and a Red Bull.”
The Nighthawks didn’t make it easy on themselves, committing seven errors in the first four innings to give Sanford plenty of opportunities.
But unlike Thursday’s opening game, a 12-2 Sanford drubbing in which the Nighthawks only managed three hits, Upper Valley’s offense came alive in the familiar confines of Maxfield, amassing 16 hits on Friday night.
Upper Valley held two leads in the game before finishing things off in the eighth inning, the first a 2-1 lead in the second off RBI singles from Grisanti and K.J. White. The Nighthawks answered an error-filled third inning with a four-run rally in the bottom of the frame, taking a 6-4 lead into the fourth inning.
Sanford scored two runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game, and added to it with a two-RBI single by Mike Landestoy in the sixth. But Upper Valley’s offense returned down the stretch.
“Being at home helped,” Lau said. “You didn’t get off the bus and you have the home crowd cheering for you. … When you hear that, you want to do it for them.”
Cordes Baker started the game for the Nighthawks, allowing five hits and six runs — though only one was earned — to go with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 innings. Mike Coss stopped the bleeding with an 1 innings of work, allowing only one hit, two runs and one walk in relief.
Nick Jones and Lau, who played both catcher and closer once again on Friday, shut things down in the final 3 innings. Jones, who has not pitched since Tuesday, allowed four hits.
“I love all our guys, I really do,” Crane said. “For Grisanti to get that home run, for Brian Lau … we made that pitcher-catcher switch. He comes out from behind home plate. I’m sure he’s fried. I’m sure he’s tired. He came out and he dominated a really good-hitting team to give us a win.”
“He’s beloved here,” Crane added. “He’s kind of become a cult hero. That was fun to see that happen.”
Nighthawks players and coaches have taken their adopted motto to heart, inscribing it in black pen on the headboard in the Maxfield press box. “Don’t let the Nighthawks _____ tonight,” it reads, allowing readers to insert their own verb. It’s fitting. Over the past several weeks, letting the Nighthawks do anything has meant trouble for the rest of the league.
“You can’t script that stuff any better, when you have late-game dramatics and, really, the fan favorite (Brian Lau), coming through,” Crane said. “It’s remarkable to me the energy we had in the park when he came on the mound. People were excited. That’s the loudest it’s ever been here.”
Notes: Zack Canada, the UNC Wilmington product, led the way offensively for the Nighthawks, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Grisanti was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBIs. … Upper Valley left 11 runners on base Friday night, including three in the bottom of the third to close the four-run rally. … A close play on a ground ball that caught Joey Denison at second base in the fourth inning left Upper Valley manager Nick Cenatiempo livid to the point of argument with umpires before backing off. He declined comment after Friday’s game. … Game 3 will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Goodall Park.
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.