LaBuda delivers in Valley's victory

By Graham Goodman

The Valley Blue Sox (10-13-1) defeated the North Adams Steeplecats (7-21) on July 9 at Joe Wolfe Field by a score of 4-2. Right-handed pitcher Maddex LaBuda (Quinnipiac) registered one of the strongest starts of the Blue Sox’s season. The start was important for the Blue Sox, and extra meaningful for LaBuda.

LaBuda’s last start was cut short due to rain after five strong innings where he struck out six and allowed three earned runs. That start, which came in a 4-2 loss to the Vermont Mountaineers on June 30, left LaBuda with extra rest and extra motivation.

“When you get handed that loss, you got to take stuff a little bit personal, you know what I mean?” LaBuda said. “... Starting pitchers, you throw once a week. So this was my get back game.”

In his six innings of work against the Steeplecats lineup, LaBuda allowed two earned runs and six hits, struck out three and walked two, all on 73 pitches. LaBuda is the first Blue Sox pitcher to throw six complete innings in a start since right-handed pitcher Jackson Hinchliffe (Richmond) on June 13.

Head coach John Raiola said LaBuda is the type of pitcher that is eager to compete.

“One thing I like about him a lot is he wants to be out there as much as anybody that we have and he works really hard at it,” Raiola said. “
So I knew he'd be ready … you need a guy that's gonna throw strikes and compete.”

The Steeplecats failed to get through to LaBuda until that sixth inning with a one out, two run double down the left field line. LaBuda immediately shut the door on the North Adams inning, notching the next two outs in succession to complete his outing.

LaBuda was visibly frustrated on the mound after the Steeplecats pushed those runs across, but collected himself to record the next two outs.

“We knew that no matter what happened last night, we were kind of in line for a good performance tonight,” Raiola said. “He did exactly what he's pretty much done for us all year.”

LaBuda has pitched 23.2 innings this year, the most on the Blue Sox by more than seven frames. In his six appearances, three have been starts. His ERA sits at 3.80. 

In his sophomore season at Quinnipiac, LaBuda threw 14 innings in eight appearances. 

“He didn't get to play as much as he wanted to [this spring] and this is kind of his season,” Raiola said. “So he takes it seriously.
He wants to be out there, and it shows. When you have guys that are like that, they do special things in the summer that they didn't really do or get an opportunity to do in the spring.”

The efficient pitching did not end with LaBuda. Right-handed pitchers Gregory Bruno (Seton Hall) and Jack Ensell (UMiami) shut the door in the final three innings, combining for five strikeouts in the final three frames and posting zeroes across the rest of the board.

Blue Sox’s catcher Josh Toole (George Mason), who was behind the plate for every pitch of the victory, said the key to success was getting ahead in the count.

“They were just pounding the zone,” Toole said. “It's hard for hitters to hit when they're in an 0-1, 0-2 count. Our pitchers did a great job of that today, and they just dominated it up there.”

LaBuda’s start marked the third time he and Toole have worked together this summer and only the first time where LaBuda was the starting pitcher. In the duo’s 13.1 innings together opponents have scored four total runs.

“I'm coming from [Coastal Carolina] you know, I'm catching the same guys, you know, for six, seven months,” Toole said.
”But coming here, you know, it's fun to see guys from different schools and get relationships with those guys. I’ve built some friendships with these pitchers that'll last me a while.”

For LaBuda, the start was a representation of who he is as a ballplayer.

“I mean, why wouldn't you want to be out there for as long as you can?” LaBuda said. “Give it all you got.”