Nighthawks Return to the Upper Valley for 2026 Home Opener

By Thaddeus Sawyer

Chase Allen is set to make his home managerial debut on Sunday as the Nighthawks (1-1) return to the Maxfield Sports Complex for the first time this season, hosting the Valley Blue Sox (1-0-1) in their home opener and officially kicking off their Summer At The Ballpark.

“It'll just be good to be home,” Allen said. “These guys have been on the bus for two long road trips. Sanford was only two hours, but [Newport] was closer to four. 
To come out and play well was awesome, but I think it'll be great to be home and kind of have that full home-fan environment and [we’re] just ready to kick it off.”

Sunday’s game will also be the debut of the new “Greener Mind” uniforms, a partnership with The Busyhead Project, which is a nonprofit mental health initiative founded by Noah Kahan aimed at providing the resources and information needed to end stigma and barriers around mental health, according to The Busyhead Project website.

Designed by Nighthawks’ Vice President Matt Wright and Assistant Director of Creative Content Blake Blechner in collaboration with The Busyhead Project and OT Sports, the Upper Valley and Vermont-inspired jerseys will be worn 13 times during the regular season, culminating in Busyhead Night on July 24.

Wearing the No. 6 jersey will be returning pitcher Eric Santaella, who will make his season debut on the mound for the Nighthawks. After mostly sticking to hitting last summer in the Upper Valley, Santaella made the All-Northeast 10 First Team in 2026 after appearing in 12 games (11 starts) for Pace University and posting a 2.77 ERA. The right-hander held opponents to a .226 batting average.

In the lineup, Eastern Illinois University third baseman James Love has been Upper Valley’s hottest hitter to start the season, leading the team in hits in each of its first two games while also picking up a pair of extra-base hits.

St. Joseph’s University outfielder Alex Kelsey, University of Hartford catcher Cam Boardman and catcher Nick Quagliato have each reached base at a .400 clip, buoying a team on-base percentage of .349.

Another returner, William & Mary first baseman Anthony Greco, has flashed the leather on multiple occasions while also crushing Upper Valley’s first home run of the season in their 7-1 victory over the Newport Gulls on Friday.

Greco said he’s excited to be back in Hartford, play in front of the home crowd and enjoy a sweet treat from Mac’s Maple, whose creemee trailer will be at the game.

“[I’m looking forward to] the maple creemees,”  Greco said. “
No, I mean, seriously, though, that was a joke, but they are very good. Just the fans, just how they pack the field and get the juices going. Seeing [Nighthawks President Noah Crane] in his zebra jacket, 
I always like that. He always looks good with the mic and that. So just excited to be back on the field in the Upper Valley.”

The Blue Sox are coming off their first win of the season on Saturday night after rallying for five runs in the final two innings and walking it off for a 6-5 win over the Ocean State Waves.

A trio of East Coast bats serve as Valley’s leading threats, as Anthony Tirado (University of Massachusetts), Nick Tomasetto (Seton Hall University) and Anthony Grabau (Fordham University) each posted an OPS mark above .800. Grabau, a shortstop, ended the season with a .911 OPS after slashing .303/.402/.509 in the Atlantic 10.

Tirado delivered the game-winning hit in last night's win with a walk-off single from the leadoff spot.

Middle Tennessee State University outfielder Brett Rogers and University of San Francisco catcher/first baseman Trevor Harmon also posted strong spring results.

Sunday will mark Valley’s first road trip of the season.

In addition to the debut of the “Greener Mind” jerseys, National Park Service representatives from Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park and Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park will be in attendance to help further highlight the beauty of the Upper Valley before the Nighthawks’ first home game of their 10th season in the area.

First pitch at the Max is scheduled for 5 p.m., as is the case with all Sunday home games this season. For the sixth consecutive season, admission to all home games will be free. Fans can also stream the game live on ESPN+.