NORWICH – With first place in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League on the line, the Westfield Starfires started strong and held on for a 2-1 win over the defending champion Norwich Sea Unicorns on Thursday night.
Westfield is 9-5 on the season, which is good enough for half a game ahead of defending champion Norwich for the top spot in the league.
The Starfires immediately jumped out to a lead in unorthodox fashion; Boston College’s Ben Williams struck out, but the Norwich catcher mishandled the pitch and then threw the ball into right field, allowing Williams to get to second base on strike three. Two batters later, Central Connecticut State University’s Gianno Merlonghi hit a shot to left field that was dropped, and Williams came home on the play.
The second frame saw the Starfires score in a more traditional style. A liner to right field from Van Liott of the College of the Holy Cross stayed inside the paint, and Liott sped to third base. Quinnipiac University’s Kyle Garbowski hit a ball up the middle to put Westfield ahead 2-0.
Both teams had chances from there, but the pitching held on despite bases-loaded situations for the Sea Unicorns in the third and the Starfires in the fourth. Daniel Cantafi was masterful in his start for the Starfires, as the Keene State product went six innings with two hits and two walks while fanning six. His college teammate Jake Jachym went 1-2-3 in the seventh.
In the eighth, the University of New Haven’s Jafar Vohra came on and walked the first two batters he faced. A sacrifice bunt and a groundout allowed the first runner to score, but a tremendous defensive play by Central Connecticut State’s Aidan Redahan at first base turned into the third out and prevented the second run from scoring.
The ninth was even more nail-biting; the Sea Unicorns earned a walk and an infield hit with one out, and after a strikeout, another walk packed the bags. Vohra then fell behind 3-0 to Garrett Larsen but was able to throw a strike and then induce a popout to center field to end the game.
With rain in the forecast for Friday, the team’s next scheduled home game against the Nashua Silver Knights has been postponed. The team’s next home game will be Saturday against the New Britain Bees. And the fireworks show sponsored by Westfield Gas & Electric will happen following that game.
The team will also face the Bees at Bullens Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. Fans are invited to come onto the field after that game to have a Father’s Day catch.
