Box Score

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts (June 16, 2024) – One day after an eighth-inning rally flew the New Britain Bees past the Westfield Starfires, the hometown team returned the favor, scoring four times in the penultimate inning to snag a 5-4 Futures Collegiate Baseball League win at the Richards Jewelers Diamond at Billy Bullens Field on Sunday, June 16.

Westfield improves to 10-6 on the season with the win; the Starfires lead the Norwich Sea Unicorns by percentage points for first in the standings following Norwich splitting a doubleheader at the Brockton Rox.

The Starfires started the scoring in the first as Vanderbilt University rookie Julio Solier reached to lead off the hitting on a hit by pitch. The Springfield native danced at first during the next at-bat and drew a pickoff throw that sailed into right field, advancing all the way to third, and came home for an unearned run when Central Connecticut State University’s Aidan Redahan bounced to first.

However, the Starfires pitching staff struggled to find the strike zone. Eight walks and six hit batsmen piled up throughout the game, and the Bees turned them into runs, trying the contest in the third, taking a 2-1 lead in the fourth, and grabbing two more in the sixth for a 4-1 advantage.

It might have been worse; in the first five innings alone the Bees left nine runners, and additionally had a runner cut down at home on a brilliant throw from Millersville University’s Sam Morris in the fourth. He caught former Starfire John LaFleur for the third out of the frame trying to tag up on a flyout.

In the eighth, Morris worked a one-out walk, and Central Connecticut State’s Gianno Merlonghi followed with a single. Redahan then came through with a double to left, putting the tying run at second and driving Morris in. Merlonghi scored on a wild pitch during the next plate appearance, which was ultimately a walk by American International College’s Jackson Haker.

Colin Larson of Boston College hit a fly to left, and not only did Redahan tie the game on the sacrifice, but Haker took second on a bad throw back to the infield, and then, realizing third was uncovered, hustled to advance a further 90 feet. That set the stage for him to score, which he did on a wild pitch that gave the Starfires an improbable 5-4 lead.

Daniel Cantafi came in to try to close out the Bees. The Keene State University product allowed a leadoff walk before drawing a popout, but two straight base hits loaded the bags as the visitors threatened to take back the lead. This time it was not to be, however; a lineout to left was too shallow to allow the runner to score from third, and a popout ended the game with the Bees having stranded 18 runners in the contest.

Southern New Hampshire University’s Devin Divita earned the win; he was the lone pitcher to not walk anyone for Westfield, scattering six hits in the sixth, seventh, and eighth but not allowing a run.

After an off day, the Starfires are on the road again, visiting the Vermont Lake Monsters for a two-game set on Tuesday, June 18 and Wednesday, June 19. They return home Thursday, June 20 to battle the Rox at 6:30 p.m. and follow on Friday, June 21 with a doubleheader against Norwich beginning with the first game’s first pitch at 5:00 p.m.

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