Blues win fifth straight over Upper Valley 9-2 going into all star break

The Blues won their fifth straight game on Saturday, defeating the Upper Valley Nighthawks by a score of 9-2. 

The Blues wasted no time getting the offense going. Bristol jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, and in the second inning Dean Oneill (Middle Tennessee State) and Thomas Ahlers (Dayton) both doubled, and a two RBI single by Gianno Merlonghi Central Connecticut State) made it 6-0 Blues. 

James Pazdera (Ramapo) was dominant on the mound for Bristol. Pazdera threw three shutout innings, only allowing two hits while striking out seven. The Nighthawks only had one more hit the rest of the game and were shut out until the eighth inning. 

The Blues tacked on three more runs in the seventh after a Joey Demucci (Penn State) double, and a Yeudy Ramirez (American International College) two RBI single to make it 9-0. The Nighthawks would score a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to cut into the deficit, but it would be too little too late as the Blues went on to win the game 9-2. 

Bristol now has a 2.5-game lead over the Newport Gulls in the South Division. Several Blues players were also in action in Hartford, Vermont, this weekend for the 2025 NECBL All-Star Game. Trevor Hansen (Manhattan) competed in the Home Run Derby and finished with three home runs. Glen Green (Danbury, Memphis) ended up winning the derby with six. Merlonghi was also in Hartford along with Blues pitcher Brendan Yegash (Virginia Tech), representing the South Division. The North Division went on to win the All-Star Game by a score of 3-1. 

The Blues will look to carry over the momentum from their five-game win streak into the All-Star break as they are back in action against the North Shore Navigators on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.