HOLYOKE, Mass. — The late-game heroics couldn’t last forever.
Nighthawks relief pitcher Phillip Sanderson (UNC-Greensboro) let a one-run lead slip away in the eighth inning, giving up three runs on four hits to the Valley Blue Sox in a 3-1 loss on Thursday night at Mackenzie Stadium.
The Nighthawks led 1-0 heading into the eighth before the rally from the Blue Sox, who sent Upper Valley to 8-7.
Nighthawks starter Paxton Thompson (Bradley) was stellar in his fourth start of the summer. He gave up no runs on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts, before he exited the game in the sixth inning with an apparent back injury.
David Marcano (NJIT) opened the scoring in the fourth inning after he doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Jack Zyska (Notre Dame). The pair were Upper Valley’s two hottest hitters: Zyska was 3-for-3 and Marcano was 2-for-4 on a night when the Nighthawks scattered seven hits.
Adam Smith (UNC-Wilmington), normally a second baseman, took over for Thompson in the sixth and went 1⅔ innings, striking out two and walking one. But Sanderson couldn’t preserve the lead while throwing 27 pitches in the eighth inning.
In the ninth, the Nighthawks put runners on first and second with one out. Davis Mikell (Castleton) was picked off at first and Brian Moore (Lipscomb) grounded out to end the game.
The Nighthawks out-hit the Blue Sox, 8-7; Valley also committed three errors in the victory.
Valley’s four relief pitchers gave up no runs on four hits and one walk with one strikeout.
Upper Valley hosts the North Adams SteepleCats on Friday at the Maxfield Sports Complex. Jordy Allard (Babson) is scheduled to get the start. First pitch is at 6 p.m.
CARROLL, N.H. — Hanover’s Betsy Knights and Amy Peters rallied to capture the NHGA Women’s Team Championship at the Mount Washington Resort.
Down by one stroke to start the day, Knights and Peters finished the day eight shots ahead of the entire field. They fired a 5-under-par 67 on Thursday — beating the tournament’s low round by a whopping seven strokes — and finished at 2-under 142.
Defending champions Chelsea Sedlar and Kate Billings, of Nashua Country Club, finished second at 6-over after starting Thursday’s action in the lead.
On the net side of the competition, Karen Brickner and Joan Jenkins, of Loudon Country Club, took the victory with a score of 13-under par 131.
In its second year, the NHGA Women’s Team Championship is a two-day, 36-hole best ball championship event.