Northwestern Wildcat Griffin Mills entered yesterday’s game against the Bravehearts hitless in his last 24 at-bats with only one run batted in.
Two games later, and the Morristown, New Jersey native added five hits, is only one of two Starfires with two long balls, and is now third on the team with 10 runs driven in, playing a major role in the Westfield Starfires 8-6 victory over the Worcester Bravehearts, Sunday, June 29 at Fitton Field.
The Starfires move to 8-19-1 on the season, becoming the only team in the FCBL to knock off the Bravehearts twice at Fitton Field. Worcester drops to 19-9 on the year, holding a half-game lead over the Vermont Lake Monsters for first place in the standings.
The scoring started in the top of the third inning, where the Starfires got on the board first for the third straight game. After two outs, Boston College’s John Mass was hit by a pitch, then Northeastern’s Anthony Ruggiero singled on a line drive just out of the reach of Bravehearts shortstop Jake Hajdu.
Next up to the dish was the team’s top run producer, Jonathan Chatfield, out of Keene State. Chatfield came through, smacking a single into center field and scoring Mass for a 1-0 Starfires lead.
The Starfires cracked the scoreboard again in the next inning with back-to-back singles by Ohio’s Caleb Karll and North Florida’s Seth Alford. After a sacrifice bunt by Jimmy Chadwell, Mills drove in both runners with a base hit, giving the outfielder his sixth RBI in the past two games and the Starfires a 3-0 advantage.
After going 0-for-9 in the first three innings, Worcester jumped on Westfield in the fourth with a walk, single, and a RBI groundout, bringing home their first run. Another walk ensued, then a couple batters later, Jaylem Sepulveda connected with a line drive into center field to add two more runs to the scoreboard for the Bravehearts, and just like that, it was tied up at 3 heading into the fifth.
The Starfires got out ahead in the top of the fifth after a two-base hit by Mass and then an error on the Worcester second baseman put runners on the corners with nobody out. Chatfield came up again in a big spot and made contact that resulted in a double play ball, but Mass scored from third on the play to make the game 4-3 on the unearned run.
George Washington Colonial Jasper Nadel came into the game and rolled through the fifth, then got two outs in the sixth, but then the Bravehearts got a single, a stolen base, then Sepulveda got another RBI with a line drive base hit into left to knot the game at 4.
However, the Starfires continued to put pressure on the Bravehearts, and the seventh inning began with a leadoff single from Mills. After a steal of second and a groundball to the right side of the infield, Mills found himself at third with one out and Mass at the dish. With the infield drawn in, Mass dropped a blooper just beyond second base that landed for a base hit, and the Starfires took the lead 5-4 off Mass’s third hit of the day.
Entering the top of the eighth, it was Mills’ time to shine again. Alford singled, Tarantino was plunked, and then Mills worked himself ahead in the count, then rocketed a pitch into deep center field for his second straight game with a three-run home run, and the Starfires were doubling up the Bravehearts 8-4.
The Bravehearts got another run across in the eighth but still needed at least three runs to score in the ninth. The Starfires got a little wild on the mound, with a walk, a couple wild pitches, and then a groundball resulting in an infield single plating Worcester’s sixth run of the game.
However, Charleston Cougar Trey Lamay got a lazy flyball into right field to shut the doors, and the Starfires ended the week with a road win.
The Starfires had 15 hits on the day, which is their second highest this year since logging 16 in the second game of the season against the Norwich Sea Unicorns.
Mass and Alford both collected three hits on the day, with Mass getting his hit streak up to six games and hitting .429 during that stretch. Chatfield added to his team-high RBI total, getting to 15 on the year. Three other Starfires scored two base hits on the day, all nine spots in the order reached base at least once, and Westfield got at least two runners on in eight of nine innings.
Richmond’s Tripp Woytowicz made his first start in a Starfires uniform, retiring all nine batters he faced with three punchouts. Nadel got the win, also throwing three innings, yielding one run. Lamay got the save by recording all three outs in the ninth without allowing a hit or a walk.
The Starfires will be back in action with a doubleheader at the home of the Nashua Silver Knights on Tuesday, July 1. The first game is set for 3:30 p.m., with game two beginning shortly thereafter.
