Valley Blue Sox
NECBL team based in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
The Valley Blue Sox are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The team plays its home games at Mackenzie Stadium. It was founded in 2001 as the Concord Quarry Dogs and moved to Holyoke after the 2007 season, winning its first NECBL championship in 2017 against the Ocean State Waves.
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- Blue Sox
- League
- NECBL
- Division
- South Division
- Location
- Holyoke, MA (2008–present); Concord, NH (2001–2007)
- Stadium
- Mackenzie Stadium (2008–present)
- Founded
- 2001
- Series
- Post-Season Division
- Former names
- Holyoke Blue Sox (2008–2013); Concord Quarry Dogs (2001–2007)
Facts from the source article.
Team history
The Concord Quarry Dogs were founded in 2001 as the second NECBL team in New Hampshire. They led the league in attendance their first year and made the postseason in 2002 and 2003, but the fan base declined after the New Hampshire Fisher Cats arrived in Manchester in 2004. By 2006, average attendance had fallen to 503 per game. Following the 2007 season, the team was purchased by siblings Barry Wadsworth and Karen Rella, who hoped to keep the team in Concord but soon began searching for a new home due to rising rent and low attendance. The ownership moved the team to Holyoke, Massachusetts, after the Holyoke Giants departed for Lynn. In their first Holyoke season, the Blue Sox finished just under .500 and eight games behind the division-winning Sanford Mainers. In 2009, the team posted a 20–21 record, earned the fourth playoff seed after a one-game playoff with Danbury, and became the first number-four seed to defeat a number-one seed by upsetting Keene in the Division Semifinals. They lost to Vermont in the Division Finals. Holyoke hosted the 2009 NECBL All-Star Game at Mackenzie Stadium, setting an event attendance record of 4,906. In 2011, the team shared the West Division regular-season title with a 28–14 record, and attendance rose from 39th in 2010 to third in collegiate summer baseball, averaging 2,510 per game. Former Wisconsin Woodchucks owner Clark Eckhoff purchased the team in 2013 and became president. That year, the squad won a play-in game against Saratoga before falling to Keene in the Division Semifinals. In May 2014, the organization announced the name change to the Valley Blue Sox.
Accolades
As of the end of the 2017 season, several NECBL records were set by players of the Concord Quarry Dogs and Holyoke/Valley Blue Sox. Tyler Smith posted an earned run average of 0.00 in 2017. Matt Elfeldt played 24 games in 2001. The 2004 team recorded 55 hit by pitch. Awards won by team members include the 2001 Defensive Player of the Year (Matt Tupman), Top Pitcher (John Velosky), and Top Relief Pitcher (Matt Elfeldt). In 2002, Grant Reynolds was named Top Pro Prospect and Top Pitcher. The 2003 Sportsmanship Award went to Angus Fredenburg and Bobby Tewksbury. Jim Wood received the 2009 Rick Ligi Most Valuable Player Award, the 2011 Ben Mount Pitcher of the Year, the 2011 Ronnie Freeman Sportsmanship Award, the 2011 Trey Mancini Rookie of the Year, the 2013 Michael Burke Pitcher of the Year, the 2015 Manny De Jesus Jr Defensive Player of the Year, and the 2016 Kyle Mottice 10th Man Award. All-League and All-Division selections include 2001 All-League Team pitcher and All-Division selections Brock Koman, Matt Tupman, and Matt Elfeldt. In 2002, Grant Reynolds made First Team as a pitcher and shortstop, and Chris Lambert made Second Team as a pitcher. The 2003 First Team included a second baseman, and Second Team included shortstop Bobby Tewksbury and DH Chris Looze. In 2004, Devin Thomas was Second Team shortstop and DH. The 2005 First Team included a second baseman, and Second Team included first baseman Jerod Edmondson and outfielder Will Bashelor. In 2009, an outfielder made First Team and Jake Rosenbeck made Second Team at third base. In 2011, catchers Ronnie Freeman and Tommy Murphy, pitcher Ben Mount, first baseman Trey Mancini, and second baseman Paul McKonkey received First or Second Team honors. Paul McKonkey was First Team DH in 2012. In 2013, Brenden Hendricks made First Team at third base, Mike Burke made First Team as a pitcher, and Jordan Hillyer made Second Team as a pitcher. Hezekiah Randolph was Second Team DH in 2016. Tyler Smith made First Team as a closer in 2017.
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