Box Score

BURLINGTON, Vermont (June 3, 2023) – On the strength of four shutout innings by each of Tim Krol and Alex Perez and a big seventh frame, the Westfield Starfires downed the Vermont Lake Monsters 4-2 in Futures Collegiate Baseball League action at Centennial Field in Burlington, Vermont on Saturday, June 3.

Westfield improves to 6-5 on the season.

Krol was the story early on as he and Lake Monsters starter Patric Menk went toe-to-toe through the first four, with neither conceding a run through obtaining 12 outs.

The story changed in the fifth. Nick Serce was hit by a pitch, and Dan Burnett followed with a base hit to left. Michael Breen then walked, loading the bases. Kyle Birks hit a grounder to short, and Vermont picked up two outs on it, but Serce scored to break the deadlock.

Perez came in in the bottom half inning and allowed a leadoff single, but immediately then drew a double-play ball. He only allowed one hit thereafter, stymying the Lake Monsters offense.

In the seventh, Westfield broke it open. Jackson Haker led off with a sharply hit ball up the first-base line that hopped over the defender. That proved crucial, as he then took second and third on a wild pitch and passed ball, respectively, and came home when Serce drove a single to right.

Serce was then lifted for Jack Kent, and two batters later, Breen hit a bouncer to short that was thrown away, giving Westfield second and third. Birks hit another ball to short, and the throw home aiming to get Kent was not in time. Kiernan Caffrey followed with a liner to left, scoring Breen for a 4-0 Westfield lead.

The Lake Monsters tried to rally in the ninth, loading the bases with one out. They managed to get two across, but Antonio Perrotta flew out to Caffrey in left with the tying run at first to end the game.

Perez’s one-hit, four-inning relief performance earned him the win; Krol’s four frames left him ineligible for it as the starter, although he fanned three to Perez’s one. Ryan Bailey pitched the ninth, allowing two runs on three hits.

The Starfires and Lake Monsters close out the weekend series on Sunday, June 4 at Centennial Field with the first pitch slated for 5:05 p.m. The Starfires are next at the Richards Jewelers Diamond at Billy Bullens Field on Tuesday, June 6 at 10:30 a.m. against the New Britain Bees to open a four-game homestand.