Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2

NEW BRITAIN, Connecticut (July 27, 2024) – In arguably the biggest two games of the 2024 season, everything clicked for the Westfield Starfires as the team held the New Britain Bees to just four hits in 14 innings with a doubleheader sweep, 9-0 and 6-0, on Saturday, July 27 at New Britain Stadium.

The Starfires improve to 30-19-1 on the campaign, good for 61 points in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League standings.

The offense came in bunches for the Starfires in the opener, starting with a monster third frame. Bryant University rookie Cam Papetti led off with a single, and Quinnipiac University’s Kyle Garbowski did likewise. Central Connecticut State University’s Gianno Merlonghi then smacked a two-run double to left to put the Starfires on the board.

After Washington State University’s Trey Cruz singled, Danny Hussey of Central Connecticut also punched a base hit to right, plating his college teammate Merlonghi, and the CCSU contributions continued with an Aidan Redahan groundout two batters later that Hussey scored on for a 4-0 edge.

The lead nearly doubled two innings later. Kansas State University’s Chandler Murray walked, and Hofstra University’s Luke Masiuk reached on a hard-hit grounder that the New Britain shortstop could not control. Blaine Lucas then stepped to the dish and bashed the first pitch he saw into right field, not only safely reaching third of his own effort but coming home on an error at first base for a 7-0 lead.

A significant lead was secured, but the Starfires added on anyway; newcomer Taylor Gaspar of Stonehill College drilled a pinch-hit single to center to lead off the seventh and Redahan walked to follow. Masiuk then singled, as did Papetti two batters later, with both driving in a run for the 9-0 lead, which held for the final.

North Florida’s Jacob Thomas, making his first start for the Starfires after five relief appearances, dazzled through five shutout innings, conceding two hits and a walk with three strikeouts; Norwich University’s Jordan Talbot had a hitless final two frames, with a walk and a strikeout.

In game two, it was Gaspar who started things again, leading off the second with a double to left; he advanced on a wild pitch before Central Connecticut’s Jackson Haker lifted a fly to right to bring him in.

That was it for the offense for most of the game; the Starfires put runners on, but could not bring them in, and on the other side, Keene State University’s Jake Jachym was masterful, mowing down hitters to move the game along.

Finally, the Starfires busted it open in the seventh. Haker drove a one-out single to left before Papetti crushed a two-run shot over the left-field wall for a 3-0 lead. A cascade of hits followed, with Boston College’s Julio Solier, Hussey, Murray, Cruz, and American International College’s Josh Frometa stacking five straight singles to bring in three more runs.

Jachym finished off the complete-game shutout with a one-two-three seventh, improving to 5-2 on the year with just two hits and two walks against five strikeouts; no New Britain runner safely advanced past first against him.

The sweep marks the first time the Starfires have swept an opponent in a doubleheader without allowing a run; the previous best for the franchise came on June 29, 2019, when the team allowed just one run in a sweep of the Nashua Silver Knights at Bullens Field.

The team will head to the Walker Memorial Grandstand at Forest Park in Springfield for its next contest, the Starfire Summer Classic, presented by MGM. First pitch against the Worcester Bravehearts is set for 4:00 p.m., with a free youth baseball clinic hosted by Starfires players at 2:00 p.m. as well as live entertainment from the Frank Manzi Band and refreshments available for purchase courtesy of Palazzo Café and White Lion Brewing.