NORWICH – The Westfield Starfires dropped the first game of a three-game series with the Norwich Sea Unicorns, 7-3, on Sunday.
Westfield now stands 24-16-1 in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, with 18 games remaining.
The scoring came quickly for both teams. The game’s first pitch was hit for a single by Boston College’s Julio Solier, and Aidan Redahan and Gianno Merlonighi of Central Connecticut State University each reached, with the former getting to base on an error and the latter drawing a walk. A sacrifice fly by the College of Charleston’s Jayden Novak and a single by the University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s Luke Yuhasz scored Solier and Redahan for a 2-0 Westfield lead.
Just as quickly, Norwich tied it and took the lead in its half of the first. A walk, a triple, two singles, and a sacrifice fly gave the Sea Unicorns a 3-2 edge.
The home side added a run in the third inning on a trio of singles, but Westfield rebounded to get it back. Millersville University’s Sam Morris led off with a single, followed by a walk on four pitches for Quinnipiac University’s Kyle Garbowski.
Solier then singled to load the bases. Redahan hit a grounder to second, and the Norwich second baseman swiped to tag Solier between the bases before throwing to first for what was initially ruled an inning-ending double play. However, after the umpires conferred, they ruled Solier had dodged the tag, which placed him safely at second and meant Morris had scored.
Unfortunately, that was the last of Westfield’s offense; Norwich’s pitching stifled the Starfires from there, and the Sea Unicorns added late insurance runs for the 7-3 final.
Keene State University’s Jake Jachym took the loss but pitched well; he allowed four runs in five innings on seven hits with four strikeouts.
The teams will rematch for a pair of seven-inning games at Bullens Field on Tuesday, July 16. The first pitch for the single-admission doubleheader is slated for 5:00 p.m. Tickets are still available at westfieldstarfires.com.
