NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The North Adams SteepleCats finally broke through for their first runs of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning on Wednesday night, walking off on the Sanford Mainers via a two-run single from JJ Shimko.

 

The 'Cats had threatened for most of the night, but it was the South Carolina-Upstate outfielder that came through with the biggest hit of the night at Joe Wolfe Field.

 

The scoring had been limited to the top of the first inning, when Riley Pittman cleared the right field fence for a solo homer with two outs. Pittman's roundtripper was one of only four hits for the visiting Mainers, and was the only extra base hit in the contest.

 

Blake Whitney, the Opening Night starter for the SteepleCats, was tremendous in his six innings of work, allowing only the Pittman home run against him. The USC-Upstate righty struck out eight Sanford hitters, and surrendered only two hits. Kevin Hassett followed with two scoreless innings of his own, and Tim Fallon marked his return to North Adams with a scoreless ninth, which allowed him to pick up the victory.

 

North Adams put runners in scoring position in five of the game's nine innings, but WAS unable to score until the final frame. Three double plays turned by the Mainers helped to keep the 'Cats off the board.

 

The decisive ninth inning started with a single from Ryan Schalch, his team-high third of the night. Schalch was lifted for pinch-runner Antonio Rosanova, who promptly stole second base. Tyler Walters followed by drawing a lengthy walk, and then he was replaced on first by Dustin Shirley. A sacrifice bunt from Michael Gulino moved Rosanova and Shirley to third and second, leading to Shimko's game-winning liner to right-center field.

 

For Sanford, JT Pittman was the lone Mainer with multiple hits, logging a pair of singles. Relief pitchers Andrew Barnes and Connor Johnson combined to throw four hitless innings of work before Ian Burns took the loss in the bottom of the ninth.

 

With the first win of the season in the books, the SteepleCats will look to go 2-0 Thursday night back at Joe Wolfe Field with the Keene Swamp Bats coming to town. The 'Cats will give the ball to 2016 NECBL All-Star Braxton Wilks, who went 8-1 a season ago. First pitch in North Adams is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.