Box Score

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts (June 12, 2024) – On a day where the stands surrounding the Richards Jewlers Diamond at Billy Bullens Field were packed to the brim with schoolchildren, Josh Frometa gave a practical demonstration of one of the basic laws of physics: force equals mass times acceleration.

The Chicopee native and American International College star did so by blasting a pair of solo home runs to left field, providing all of the offense to back up a strong day of pitching for the Westfield Starfires in a 2-1 win over the team’s Futures Collegiate Baseball League rival, the Worcester Bravehearts.

The Starfires now sit at 8-5 on the season.

After the Bravehearts stranded second and third in the opening frame, Frometa went to work right away. The leadoff hitter fouled off three straight pitches before catching a Nick Harnisch pitch and hooking it inside the foul pole for his first of the season.

Five innings later, Frometa led off again, this time facing former Starfire Carson Walsh. This time, it was his first swing that sent the ball screaming out of Bullens Field, a no-doubt shot to the scoreboard that marked the sixth time in franchise history that a Starfire had hit two out in a single FCBL game. All six have come at Bullens Field, and the list of those who have done it includes 2021 FCBL Most Valuable Player Cole Bartels and franchise home run record holder Nick Serce, Frometa’s teammate both in Westfield and at AIC.

The Bravehearts broke the shutout in the ninth with a leadoff double by Joey Rubin. He advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly, but that was the only blemish, and the game ended on the next pitch as Nathan Samii popped out to first to end the contest.

“I just saw the ball in the middle of the zone…I tried to load up early, see the ball as best as I could, and put a good swing on it,” Frometa said after the game.

Sam Formus was strong in his three innings of work opening the game, not allowing a hit. The Cedarville University product walked two in each of the first two frames before throwing a 1-2-3 third. Behind him, Keen State University’s Camden Thomas allowed one hit and two walks in 2.1 innings, before Westfield State University’s Joe Fischer earned the win as the most effective reliever; he twirled 3.2 innings and allowed the run with two hits and a walk.

“Credit to our pitchers, man. They were around the zone…feeding the zone…we were able to stay locked in defensively because our pitchers were doing a really good job,” Frometa said.

Westfield has a big weekend ahead, with Westfield Gas & Electric Night on Friday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. against the Nashua Silver Knights. Tickets are free for all Westfield Gas & Electric and Whip City Fiber customers, and can be reserved by visiting https://www.wgeld.org/promo/starfires. Fans will additionally be treated to a postgame fireworks show courtesy of Westfield Gas & Electric.

On Saturday, June 15, the Starfires will host Westfield Little League Day with a 6:30 p.m. contest against the New Britain Bees, and will face the Bees again on Sunday, June 16 at 1:00 p.m. for a Father’s Day matinee. Fans are invited to take the field to “have a catch with dad” after the game on Sunday.

Prior to the home weekend, the team will head to Norwich, Connecticut to battle the Norwich Sea Unicorns at Dodd Stadium on Thursday, June 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Frometa relishes the busy schedule.

“It’s about having fun. You’ve gotta enjoy these times. You never know how long they’ll last so it doesn’t really matter how tired you are, you enjoy playing baseball,” he said.

 Tickets for all home Starfires games are available at westfieldstarfires.com.