WORCESTER – Incoming freshman to the University of Virginia, Griffin Enis, reached base safely three times with a walk and two singles, but the Westfield Starfires fell 6-0 against the Worcester Bravehearts in eight innings Tuesday at Fitton Field.
The Starfires drop to 8-26-2 on the season, losing their first game of the season at Fitton Field after beating Worcester in the first two matchups. The Bravehearts keep pace with Vermont to maintain their 2.5-game lead over the Lake Monsters for first place in the FCBL standings with a 25-10 record.
The Starfires found themselves trailing early, after the Bravehearts loaded the bases in the first, then a sacrifice fly saw Worcester take a 1-0 lead. This was followed by a two-out single, which scored another run to give the hosts a two-run advantage.
The Bravehearts added another run to their total in the second after a leadoff triple came around to score on another sacrifice fly.
Westfield could not capitalize on Worcester starter Damien Carter walking four batters through two innings. After stranding two in scoring position in the first, the Starfires loaded the bases with a single from Worcester State product Riggs Catlin, a walk by Columbia’s Jimmy Chadwell, and another walk from Connecticut Husky Evan Menzel, all with two outs, but they couldn’t score in the frame.
After the ‘Hearts scored two more times in the third to give themselves a 5-0 lead, the offense slowed down for both sides. After the second, the Starfires got singles from Enis in the third, Iona’s Cole Silvia in the fourth, and Keene State’s Jonathan Chatfield in the sixth. However, there was nothing else productive in any of those innings, and the Bravehearts’ bullpen was stellar at throwing strikes and getting ahead of batters.
Holy Cross product Owen Callaghan tossed scoreless innings in the fourth through sixth innings in his college home ballpark of Fitton Field, but Worcester tacked on another run in the seventh after a single, a wild pitch, and another single.
In the visitors’ half of the eighth, the Starfires got back-to-back singles from Enis and Northwestern’s Griffin Mills, making it the first time Westfield had two baserunners since the second inning. However, two straight strikeouts once again left two runners stranded with the Bravehearts still blanking Westfield.
These went on the be the final plate appearances of the game as the weather went south between half innings with a lightning strike, and shortly thereafter, the umpiring crew suspended the game after eight innings with the Bravehearts blanking the Starfires 6-0.
Both Mills and Silvia each recorded a single and a stolen base on the night. As for Enis, he has started the season 5-for-15 in his first four games with the club, earning a start in all of the past four contests for Westfield.
The Starfires will head up to Holman Stadium to face the Nashua Silver Knights on Wednesday, July 8, at 6 p.m.
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