NEW BRITAIN, CONN. – Kansas State’s Jack Quetschenbach and Columbia’s Jimmy Chadwell both had hits but the Westfield Starfires came out on the wrong end of a 4-0 shutout against the New Britain Bees on Wednesday at New Britain Stadium.
The Starfires fall to 8-22-1 on the season. The Bees reach 15-15 with the win, getting to .500 for the first time this season after wins in six of their past seven.
New Britain got on the scoreboard first after three singles put their first run on the board. Then, the Starfires committed a throwing error on a ground ball which led to two more Bees coming around to score, as the home team took a 3-0 lead.
The New Britain pitching staff looked every bit like the best in the FCBL throughout this one. Through four innings, the Starfires only had two hits, both of which were infield singles by Quetschenbach and Jimmy Chadwell in the second inning, but to no avail as Westfield could not convert in the inning.
Incoming Holy Cross freshman Owen Callaghan toed the rubber for his second start of the season for Westfield and despite the three-spot in the first, finished strong and ended his night going four innings, allowing just one earned run.
New Britain added to their lead in the fifth after a single, stolen base, followed by a base hit into center that gave the Bees their fourth run of the game.
The Bees kept giving the Starfires chances late by walking one batter in each of the next four innings after the fourth. However, Northwestern’s Griffin Mills was the only one of those four to reach second after he got there off a stolen base and once again, the Starfires struggled to hit with runners on base.
The Starfires went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, and the red-hot Bees got their second shutout over Westfield this season.
Iona’s Cole Silvia and Mills both drew walks, and each stole a base in the game. Ohio Bobcat Brady Laviolette was on twice with two bases on balls.
Future Richmond Spider, Tripp Woytowicz, had a nice relief outing with two innings, one hit, and two punchouts on his way to scoreless seventh and eighth innings of work.
The Starfires will return to Bullens Field for the only home game of the week against the Vermont Lake Monsters Thursday, July 3rd, with a first pitch time scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Tickets to this game and all other Starfires home games can be purchased at www.westfieldstarfires.com.
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