Box Score

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts (June 17, 2023) – It was another example of Bullens Magic on Friday, June 16 as Nick Serce’s shot to right-center field in the eighth inning bounced out of a glove, off the top of the fence, and into the scorecard as the go-ahead home run in a 2-1 Westfield Starfires win over the Nashua Silver Knights at the Richards Jewelers Diamond at Billy Bullens Field.

Westfield is now 12-9 on the season.

Both teams put runners in scoring position early, but left those runners stranded; Jack Kent snared a liner to force a double play just three batters in, shutting down an early Nashua chance. The starting pitchers ultimately held the game scoreless through five frames, with Tim Krol allowing just two hits and fanning four for the home team.

In the sixth, the Starfires finally broke through with a two-out rally. Jackson Haker led off with a walk, and J.D. Jones followed with a line-drive double into the gap. Isaiah Pinkney then knocked a ball to deep short; he beat the throw to first, which allowed Haker to score the game’s first run.

With the pressure on, Nashua was able to tie the game in the eighth. A walk and a hit batter put two on for the Silver Knights, and Nick O’Connor’s single to left allowed Shane Wockley to score, although Kobe Mentzer’s throw came close to cutting him down at the dish.

Facing the prospect of going extras, Serce came to the dish in the home half of the inning with one out. He took two swings, and the second connected, lining the ball deep into the gap in right-center. Shane McNamara made a valiant effort to steal a hit away with a dive, and got a piece of the ball with his glove, but it popped up, rolling onto the top of the fence and over for a stunning home run, Serce’s fourth of the season.

Alex Perez shut the door in the ninth, working around an error to close out the contest and earn the victory after conceding the tying run in the eighth.

The Starfires next play a two-game series at the Vermont Lake Monsters on June 17-18; starts are scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and 5:05 p.m., respectively.