NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Johnny Ruggiero has been a workhorse for the North Adams SteepleCats all summer.

 

In their biggest game of the year, Ruggiero gave the ‘Cats all the work they could have hoped for.

 

Ruggiero allowed one run in 7 and a third innings on Saturday as North Adams beat Sanford, Maine, 4-3, to force a deciding Game 3 Sunday in Maine in their New England Collegiate Baseball League playoff series.

 

Sunday’s 6:30 p.m. game is scheduled to be telecast on ESPN-Plus, according to SteepleCats’ officials. The winner takes on NECBL North Division regular season winner Keene, N.H., in a best-of-three series to reach the Fay Vincent Cup finals.

 

On Saturday, Ruggiero struck out four before giving the ball to Nicholas Noble to finish things up as the SteepleCats bounce back from a 9-1 setback in Game 1 on Friday.

 

“Rug put the team on his back, gave us 7 and a third strong, it was just awesome to watch him,” North Adams coach Mike Gladu said.

 

“He’s one of those guys who actually gets better as he goes. So, for me, seeing him start off in good shape and commanding the zone was a really good sign.”

 

Ruggiero retired the side in order in the top of the first and then pitched around baserunners each of the next two innings.

 

Sanford, the second seed in the North, reached Ruggiero just once. Luke Jenkins hit a one-out solo home run in the top of the fourth to make it a 4-1 game.

 

Otherwise, the Maryville (Tenn.) College product did not allow a runner past second base.

 

Ruggiero came into the game far and away the team leader in innings pitched. Saturday’s performance put him at 45 and two-thirds innings in 11 appearances with a 2.75 earned run average.

 

He got all the offensive support he needed in the third inning.

 

Qwynn Ahearn got things started with a leadoff walk. Alex Mendes then laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Sanford starting pitcher Connor Ball’s errant throw allowed Mendes to reach base.

 

Collin Overholt singled to left to drive home Ahearn with the game’s first run and stole second to put two runners in scoring position.

 

Nelphie Lopez’ RBI groundout plated Mendes, and Robert Stang doubled to right-center, driving in Overholt to make it 3-0.

 

With two out, J.T. Thompson singled up the middle to drive in Stang and give North Adams a four-run cushion.

 

The miscue on Mendes’ bunt – North Adams second sac bunt of the game – made two of the four runs charged to Ball unearned.

 

“For me, small ball is … you gotta have it,” Gladu said. “I’m kind of an old-school guy. So I’m trying to make these guys understand it a little bit more. It’s been a tug on the shoulders, a little bit, to get them to buy in. But things happen when you do that stuff. So I’m good with that.”

 

Ruggerio ended his night with a strikeout with runners in first and second in the eighth.

 

Noble started his night with a groundball to third base and ended the threat with a fly ball to center.

 

North Adams got a leadoff walk and a nifty delayed steal of second base from Taconic High graduate Nick Guachione (Penn), but the SteepleCats could not take advantage against Sanford reliever Drew Smith and went to the ninth still ahead, 4-1.

 

That is when things got interesting.

 

The Mainers’ Brendan Sencaj hit a one-out single, and Kyle Douin hit a two-out home run that just cleared the fence in center field to make it 4-3.

 

Noble recovered to get the next hitter to fly out to Mendes in left to end the game.

 

“I think the back of these [SteepleCats playoff] T-shirts they’ve got say, ‘Cardiac Cats,’ “ Gladu said. “I think that comes into play too much. But it was a good game.”

 

And it was not one that had the coach’s heart skipping any beats after Douin’s dinger.

 

“I’m good, man,” Gladu said. “Noble’s our guy. And I’ve got Bobby Stang ready to go. I’m just gonna run Noble out there.”