Nighthawks Host SteepleCats In Penultimate Home Contest

By Thaddeus Sawyer

With exactly one week until the start of the postseason, just six games sit between the Upper Valley Nighthawks and the NECBL playoffs.

The Nighthawks (21-16-1) currently sit in fifth place in the NECBL playoff race. Just a single tie separates the Nighthawks and the Mystic Schooners (21-16) for fourth place and home field advantage. 

The Nighthawks control their own destiny and still hold a shrinking yet existent chance to pass the Sanford Mainers (24-14) for first place in the North Division, which would automatically give Upper Valley the No. 2 seed in the postseason.

As each game becomes increasingly important, the Nighthawks will look to reach the 25-win mark for just the second time in team history and first since 2017. The Nighthawks will have a chance to march closer to that goal on Saturday, but they will have to go through one of their most feared foes to do so.

The North Adams SteepleCats are not a prototypical rival. With a 8-28 record, the SteepleCats have won the fewest games in the NECBL this summer and may be hard pressed to reach 10 victories by the end of July. They are one of two teams that have already been eliminated from the playoff race, along with the Ocean State Waves (11-27).

The SteepleCats snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Waves on Thursday before an off day Friday.

However, against the Nighthawks, the SteepleCats have been a different team. Three of their eight wins on the season have come over the Nighthawks, with North Adams currently holding a 3-2 advantage in the season series. With Saturday standing as the series finale, the best the Nighthawks can do is tie it with a win. The SteepleCats have won both previous contests at the Maxfield Sports Complex.

Both teams will hand the ball to a pitcher with zero NECBL starts under their belts, as Nighthawks left-handed pitcher Aaron Robinson will face off against SteepleCats right-hander Geordan Jackson Murphy.

Robinson has been working to get stretched out since joining the team in early July, with two of his three outings coming in at three innings. In 7 2/3 innings, Robinson has posted a 4.70 ERA with nine strikeouts but eight walks.

Jackson Murphy has been one of North Adams’ top relievers this season, working to a 1.23 ERA across six appearances and 7 1/3 frames. The UMass Dartmouth pitcher has not reached two innings in any of his outings, indicating that the appearance may end up coming as an opener.

The North Adams lineup is led by lone position player all-star Sebastian Rhoades. The Tulane University infielder leads the SteepleCats with a .291 batting average but has not hit for much power, notching just three extra-base hits through 91 plate appearances thus far.

First baseman Tony Woodie leads the roster with a .368 on-base percentage, while shortstop Nelphie Lopez tops the lineup with a .768 OPS. 

The Nighthawks' lineup is led by all-star starters James Love and Frank Kelly, who will pair up as Upper Valley’s double play duo on Saturday. Both are batting over .300 on the summer, with Love leading the team with a .379 average.

Center fielder Alex Kelsey is also heating up at the plate, going 4-for-4 in the Nighthawks’ 2-1 victory over Sanford Mainers on Friday.

First pitch for the Nighthawks’ penultimate home game at the Nest is scheduled for 6 p.m. Fans can stream the game live on NECBL+.