Box Score

NASHUA, New Hampshire (May 30, 2022) – The Westfield Starfires tied a franchise record for consecutive wins in a season as the team earned an 11-6 victory over the Nashua Silver Knights in a Futures Collegiate Baseball League contest at Holman Stadium in Nashua, New Hampshire on Monday, May 30.

The Starfires are now 5-0, and are the last remaining unbeaten team in the Futures League.

Westfield’s offense continued its torrid pace, as the first six hitters all reached in the opening stanza. Luca Giallongo walked, and Jackson Hornung followed with a single before Cooper Johnson roped a double into the gap in left-center to bring them home. Patrick D’Amico then singled, and he and Johnson executed a double steal to bring the Starfires lead to 3-0 before the host side had a chance to bat. Nashua threatened to counter in the home half, loading the bases with one out, but Michael Aceto drew a strikeout and a popout to smother the threat.

Hornung and Johnson replicated their single-double combo to add a run for the Starfires in the second, but the biggest burst of Bullens Magic came in the third. Nolan Florence beat out an infield hit and took second when the throw went awry. Ryan Lavelle followed that with a perfect bunt up the third base line. Brendan Jones joined the party with an RBI single, and then swiped second with Giallongo at the dish. Giallongo brought both Jones and Lavelle home on a liner to right for a hit, and then swiped second himself so that he was in position to score when Hornung notched his third hit, a single to left. D’Amico closed out the offensive run with a base hit to center, plating Hornung and giving Westfield a 9-0 lead.

The Starfires reached double digits in the fourth with a Lavelle single tthat was followed two batters later by Giallongo launching a triple to center, but the Silver Knights finally found their offense in the bottom half, with two singles and then two doubles to put three of their own on the board. However, D’Amico and Jack Wentworth doubled back-to-back in the fifth to push the lead to 11-3 and put the game out of reach. The Silver Knights tacked on two in the seventh and one in the ninth, but Westfield was able to hang on for the win.

Aceto went six sharp frames, scattering seven hits and allowing the three runs while fanning three with no walks. David Tirrell allowed three runs on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts over the final three to claim a save.

Hornung, who was named the player of the game by Nashua, racked up four hits and three runs; he has had multiple hits in all five games this season and leads the FCBL in both runs scored with eight and runs batted in with 11. D’Amico also notched four hits, while Johnson had three; he and Giallongo both totalled three RBI.

The Starfires return home on Tuesday, May 31 for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch against the Norwich Sea Unicorns.

For the latest on the team, be sure to follow the Starfires on Twitter and Instagram @starfiresbb, and visit us on the web at westfieldstarfires.com.