Nighthawks Return Home to Host North Shore

By Thaddeus Sawyer

Both the Nighthawks and North Shore Navigators benefited from an unexpected long weekend over the past two days. Both clubs saw their Monday contests be postponed due to rain and then sat through a scheduled off day on Tuesday. 

After receiving some rare prolonged rest in the midst of a marathon season, both teams will return to the field on Wednesday, as the Nighthawks (7-7-1) host the Navigators (6-8) at the Maxfield Sports Complex.

Despite the Nighthawks sitting ahead of the Navigators in the North Division standings, Upper Valley dropped the first matchup between the two teams a little less than a week ago.

Though it took until the bottom of the eighth inning, the Navigators finally pulled away with two runs to put away a pitcher’s duel last Thursday, winning 4-2.

That was one of two losses across a stretch of five straight games for the Nighthawks, as Upper Valley is also coming off of a 4-1 loss to the North Adams SteepleCats (2-12) on Sunday.

The Navigators have dropped two contests in a row, a pair of interdivisional games against the Valley Blue Sox (8-5-1) and Ocean State Waves (6-9). North Shore’s last victory was their win over the Nighthawks on Thursday, meaning they haven’t won a game in nearly a week.

Both of the losses came on the road, with the Navigators currently holding a matching 3-4 records both at home and away from Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts. 

Those losses also brought an end to a five-game winning streak, which started on June 13 in a 13-4 win over North Adams.

A key element to that success was shortstop Hudson Ellis, who hit .571 with five extra-base hits and three walks against just three strikeouts across 22 plate appearances in five games last week en route to being named NECBL Player of the Week on Monday.

Against the Nighthawks, Ellis notched one RBI and a hit while reaching base three times and scoring a run.

Looking to stall Ellis’ success will be Nighthawks starter Anthony Bubba (1-0, 4.00 ERA). In three appearances, including two starts, the Quinnipiac right-hander has struck out nine batters across nine frames.

In his last outing, Bubba surrendered a three-run home run to Vermont Mountaineers third baseman Tyler Jones in the first inning but settled in from that point on, tossing an additional four scoreless innings to secure the win in Upper Valley’s 13-6 win.

Looking to offer Bubba some run support in the Nighthawks lineup will be shortstop Frank Kelly and third baseman James Love, both of whom continue to be Upper Valley’s top two performers at the plate as the season has progressed.

Kelly was a steady threat at the plate in his first full week in the Upper Valley. The High Point infielder recorded nine hits in five games, including a four-hit performance against the Mountaineers and a home run versus North Adams.

Playing in each of Upper Valley’s 15 games this season, Love has continued to reach base at a .508 clip while posting an OPS mark of 1.008. The Eastern Illinois infielder has gotten on base in five straight contests and in 14 overall.

Catcher Nick Quagliato and center fielder Alex Kelsey also started to heat up last week.

Quagliato started the week off hot by doubling in three straight contests and also added another against North Adams. The second-year Nighthawk also mixed in a pair of multi-hit performances.

It took Kelsey a little longer to get going, starting the week slow before picking up steam as the weekend approached. The left-handed hitter went 5-for-7 in his last three games with a pair of free passes mixed in.

With the Nighthawks only posting two hits in their first contest against the Navigators, a double each from Love and Quagliato, they’ll need to mix in more production from the bottom of the lineup should they hope to right the ship this time around.

First pitch at the Max is scheduled for 6 p.m. The contest will stream live on NECBL+ and Unbeaten.