NEW BRITAIN, CONN. – A strong team pitching performance and a six-run first inning was all it took as the New Britain Bees buzzed past the Westfield Starfires 6-2 Friday night, May 28, in New Britain, Conn.
Both squads now stand at 1-2-0 in the FCBL standings.
The Starfires fell behind early once again after a huge first inning from the Bees. The home team sent 10 batters to the plate, had five stolen bases, two singles, and three hit-by-pitches en route to their six-run bottom of the first as the Starfires found themselves in a hole early.
Not much happened offensively for Westfield the first time through the order; only Minnesota Golden Gopher Jack Taxdahl reached with a single in the second.
Still trailing 6-0 in the fourth, Boston College outfielder Ben Williams laced a ball to the right center gap, and the New Hampshire-ite got to third with a leadoff triple and the first three-base knock for the Starfires this season. Brady Laviolette then drove him in with a broken-bat ground out on the very next pitch, getting the Starfires on the board.
Westfield chipped into the lead again in the fifth with Kacin Robinson drawing a leadoff walk, stealing second, and then Connecticut native Alex Benevento came through with a pinch-hit single to score Robinson, making the game 6-2.
Benevento then added an outfield assist in the bottom of the frame, gunning down a Bee trying to take two bases on a bloop single to left.
UConn Avery Point pitcher Dan Lang came in on relief in the third inning for the Starfires and pitched the next four innings, keeping the Bees off the board and retiring nine of the final 10 batters in his first appearance this season.
Despite the solid pitching, though, the Starfires could not get much traffic on the bases until the ninth inning. Still down 6-2, New Britain got two quick outs, but then Ryan Keating singled up the middle, and shortstop Evan Menzel followed with a double to put a pair in scoring position. However, the two runners were left stranded as a pop-up to second base concluded the game with the Bees earning their first victory of the season.
Laviolette and Benevento had the two RBIs for Westfield, and both Menzel and Taxdahl reached twice each with a base hit and a walk.
In addition to Lang, two more Connecticut natives had scoreless appearances with Tray Lamay and Caleb Martinek hurling a scoreless seventh and eighth inning, respectively.
The Starfires return home May 31 for the team’s official opening night at Bullens Field, featuring a rematch against the New Britain Bees. Opening night will feature Boston Bruins national anthem singer Todd Angilly performing the Star-Spangled Banner, and a free magnet schedule for the first 1,000 fans.
