Box Score

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts (August 3, 2023) – The Westfield Starfires have no intention of going gently into that good night.

Ten different Starfires reached base safely, and the pitching allowed just one unearned run as the team defeated the Pittsfield Suns 7-1 at the Richards Jewelers Diamond at Billy Bullens Field on Thursday, August 3, keeping their hopes for a second straight postseason bid alive.

The team is now 29-29 on the season.

Westfield came out swinging, with Kiernan Caffrey singling to left on the first pitch he saw and then taking second on a bad throw back to the infield. Luke Masiuk followed with a base hit, giving the Starfires first and third. Nick Serce also connected with the first pitch he saw, driving it to right and bringing home his American International College teammate for a 1-0 lead before the first out was recorded.

The Suns put a runner on in each of the next three innings, but the Starfires kept them from scoring, including with a 5-4-3 double play in the fourth between Dan Burnett, Josh Frometa, and Serce that saw the first baseman stretch far to his right to catch the throw and finish the second out.

In the fifth, the Starfires added to the lead. Caffrey and Jack Kent each worked walks before Serce smashed a line shot to right that one-hopped the wall for a ground rule double, pushing Caffrey home again. Jay Bant followed with a double of his own, going to the opposite field and bringing both Serce and Kent to the plate.

An inning later, Jake Risedorf led off with a walk, and Josh Frometa hit a ground ball that the third baseman for Pittsfield could barely knock down. After Caffrey was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Kent and Serce both walked, with each forcing a run home. Bant then hit a shallow fly ball to left, and Caffrey decided to test the arm of Spencer Berson. He beat the throw easily, giving the Starfires a 7-0 lead.

Pittsfield scored an unearned run in the seventh, but could not generate any offense otherwise. The game ended on a pop-up double play, as Breen caught a shallow fly and fired a strike back to first base to nail the inattentive runner to end the game.

Trey Yesu threw six nearly flawless innings, allowing three hits and striking out six for the win. Jake Jachym earned a save, allowing the unearned run on two hits and a walk over three frames, fanning a pair.

The two teams are set for a doubleheader in Westfield on Friday, August 4. First pitch for game one is set for 4:00 p.m.