SERIES PREVIEW

GAME 1: Bullens Field, Saturday, August 10, 5:00 p.m.: Tickets | Stream
GAME 2: Dodd Stadium, Sunday, August 11, 1:00 p.m.: Directions | Stream
GAME 3 (If Necessary): Dodd Stadium, Sunday, August 11, 6:00 p.m.: Directions | Stream

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts (August 9, 2024) – And then there were two.

The Westfield Starfires will face off against the defending FCBL Champion Norwich Sea Unicorns in a best-of-three series to determine the top team in the league for the 2024 campaign in a weekend of tremendous baseball action.

Owing to inclement weather caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, the teams will play Game One at 5:00 p.m. at Bullens Field on Saturday, August 10, and then will head to Norwich and Dodd Stadium on Sunday, August 11 for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch in Game Two; should a Game Three be needed, it will also be Sunday at 6:00 p.m. at Dodd Stadium.

Norwich prevailed in a three-game series that went the distance with the Vermont Lake Monsters in a rematch of the 2023 title bout. The Lake Monsters upended the Sea Unicorns in the opener behind a four-run first inning and held on for a 5-4 win, but the top-seeded squad bounced back to take the second game at Centennial Field 7-2 and returned home to win 10-3 in the finale thanks in large part to a first-frame grand slam off the bat of Alex Irizarry.

The Sea Unicorns are a solid hitting team with a .265 batting average during the regular season that ranked fourth in the league. Though the team’s slugging percentage of .346 ranked fifth in the FCBL, they made up for it with 117 stolen bases, second in the league, and with 264 walks, can get on base any way they need to.

Notable hitters include AJ Soldra, the speedy outfielder who has eight doubles and eight triples along with 21 walks and 20 steals to go with his .336 batting average, as well as Anthony Tirado and Irizarry, who were both tied for 10th in the league with 27 RBI.

Where the Sea Unicorns truly shine is on the mound. The team boasted a league-best 3.87 ERA in 2024, thanks to holding opponents to a league-worst .231 average and .309 slugging percentage. The staff led the league in strikeouts and allowed the fewest walks of any team. Justin Marks struck out 42 in 11 starts and 32.2 total innings, fifth in the league, and closer Jimmy Mulvaney was deadly with 33 punchouts and a 2.16 ERA in 25 innings. Ace Hector Alejandro went 5-0 in the regular season with a 2.16 ERA in five starts, although he did absorb the playoff loss against Vermont.

The Starfires handled business against the New Britain Bees in their series, winning the opener 8-5 on a walk-off grand slam by Jayden Novak. The College of Charleston rookie’s heroics set up Westfield native Jake Jachym to have a chance to close out the series and the staff ace delivered. The Keene State University junior threw eight shutout innings at New Britain Stadium as Westfield blanked the Bees 4-0 to advance to the Championship for the first time ever.

Westfield’s offense remains the league’s most prolific, and it starts with the trio from Central Connecticut State University of Danny Hussey, Jackson Haker, and Aidan Redahan, who combined for 14 hits in just two contests. The Starfires boasted a staggering .405 on-base percentage in their two playoff games.

The Westfield defense, also among the tops in the league, has continued to shine in the playoffs, only committing one error in 71 chances.

Tickets for Game One at Bullens Field are available online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36043. Seating is general admission, and tickets are the same $10 price as regular season contests. For tickets to Game Two and Three, visit https://goseaunicorns.com/.