Starfires overpower Suns for seventh win of season
WESTFIELD, Massachusetts (June 1, 2022) – The Westfield Starfires turned in yet another dominating offensive showing against the Pittsfield Suns, defeating their Western Massachusetts rivals 11-1 at Bullens Field in a Futures Collegiate Baseball League matchup to remain perfect on the season. The team’s 7-0 start is the longest in-season winning streak in franchise history, and including the three wins at the end of the 2021 campaign, marks the first time Westfield has reached double digits for consecutive wins. With one out in the first, the Suns had men at the corners, but Westfield State University’s Nolan Florence cut down Drew Metzdorf as he tried to steal second, helping the Starfires out of the jam. In the bottom half, Noah Campanelli drilled a double and swiped third before Cooper Johnson also doubled to bring him home. In the third, the Suns tied the game as Xavier Quezada reached on an error and was driven in by Drew Metzdorf. However, it took just one pitch in the home half for the Starfires to regain the lead as Brendan Jones crushed a home run to deep center field. Westfield then added four more for good measure as Ryan Molnari singled and Johnson doubled, followed by a walk to Jack Wentworth to load the bases. The Suns made a pitching change to no avail, as Brian Norsen singled to bring home Molinari and Johnson, and Wentworth and Norsen ultimately scored following an error and a wild pitch to give Westfield a 6-1 lead. Westfield’s pitching continued to slam the door, allowing the Starfires to ultimately put the game away in the seventh and eighth. Norsen hit a two-run double in the seventh to bring Molinari and Wentworth home, and an error followed by three straight hits by Jakob Coh, Nathan Lincoln, and Noah Campanelli drove the lead to 11-1 in the eighth, closing the game out by run rule as Lincoln touched home plate. Kevin Zarnoch Jr. was brilliant in allowing just one unearned run on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts in six innings of work. Alex Rosario finished the game, dealing two innings where he allowed just one hit and fanned one. The team heads north for its next three, with a pair of 6:35 p.m. starts at the Vermont Lake Monsters on Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3. The Starfires return to Bullens Field on Sunday, June 5 at 3:00 p.m. to host the Nashua Silver Knights. 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. |
