Norwich Unable to Keep Pace with Vermont in Series Finale

Norwich, CT – The Norwich Sea Unicorns were shutout 11-0 in the rubber match of the series with the Vermont Lake Monsters on Thursday. The loss drops Norwich below .500 for the first time this summer while the victory for Vermont moves the Lake Monsters atop the Futures League holding a record of 5-3.

Vermont opened the scoring in the 1^st on the first of 3 RBI from Shaun McMillan who ripped a one out single into left field. The opportunity was set up by a failed ‘pickoff attempt from the Sea Unicorns that sailed into foul territory allowing the baserunner to take 3^rd. Norwich starter Brendan Grady mitigated any further damage after navigating around an early traffic, jam stranding a pair of runners to escape the frame.

There was no scoring until the 4^th when Vermont opened the floodgates, striking for 5 to build a 6-0 lead. Command trouble from Grady set the stage for the Lake Monsters loading the bases on a couple of free passes issued by the UCONN product and an infield single. Thomas O’Connell delivered for the visitors with a bases clearing double to the wall in right. Sam Cavossa continued his big series with a run scoring single into right. Later, McMillan capped off the scoring in the inning with a ground rule double to left. In the inning, Vermont combined for 6 hits and sent 10 batters to the plate.

The visitor’s offensive explosion continued in the 5^th with their second consecutive 5-run inning of the ballgame. This time the Lake Monsters capitalized on a couple of errors committed by the Norwich defense. Overall, Vermont sent 8 men to the plate and pieced together 3 hits to make it 11-0.

Lake Monster starter John Delgado stifled the Norwich offense to 2 hits and struck out 5 in route to his first win of the summer. The bullpen followed in his footsteps, tossing 2 no hit innings to keep Norwich off the board.

Despite the lopsided score, Norwich reliever Jack Novak hurled 2.2 innings of 2-hit baseball allowing no earned runs. The Westfield State product has now worked 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball to begin his summer with the Sea Unicorns.

Norwich will look to right the ship tomorrow night against the Nashua Silver Knights before returning home Saturday vs. Worcester. Ben Winslow will take the mound for Norwich opposite Will Perkowski. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Holman Stadium.

Win – John Delgado (1-0)

Loss – Brendan Grady (0-1)

Time –  2:08

Written by Adam Plager

Norwich Drops Wednesday Afternoon Meeting with Vermont

Norwich, CT – The Norwich Sea Unicorns could not keep up with Vermont on Wednesday afternoon dropping game 2 of the 3-game series with the Lake Monsters 9-2. Vermont’s offense was relentless, pounding out 17 hits in the victory. The loss drops Norwich back to .500 through their first six games, while Vermont climbs above the mark at 4-3.

Vermont opened the scoring in the 1^st after loading the bases with no outs due to early wildness from Norwich starter Cam Thomas who walked a pair and hit a batter. Malcolm Whitfield drove in the first run of the afternoon for the visitors with a base hit into right field. The southpaw avoided any further damage after turning a double play and later a ground ball to second to end the inning.

The Lake Monsters extended their lead in the 3^rd on a sacrifice fly to center. In the 4^th, Vermont added on thanks to an error by the Norwich defense which later came around to score on a double by Bryan Richman.

Norwich battled with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to cut the Vermont lead back to 2. Aidan Stern jumpstarted the offense for the hosts with a ringing double to the wall in left field. Fairfield product Aidan Baglino plated the first run of the afternoon for Norwich with a sac fly to right field to bring home Stern.

Unfortunately, that would be the closest Norwich would come as the Lake Monsters continued to pile on throughout the afternoon. Vermont struck for a pair in the fifth on a one out triple by Sam Cavossa followed by a base hit from Bryan Richman to build a 5-1 lead.

The Sea Unicorns tacked on a run in the home 7^th after Jayden Novak worked a bases loaded walk to score Charlie Walsh who began the frame with an infield single.

With the bases remaining loaded and one out Matt Fincher summoned Sean Gamble into the ballgame to navigate the traffic jam. The move paid off as Gamble mowed down the first 2 batters he faced via strikeouts to escape the jam.

The reigning Reliever of the Year was as advertised picking up his 2^nd save of the summer recording 7 strikeouts in the process in 2.2 innings of work.

Vermont added a run in the 8^th on a 2 out double from Shaun McMillan drilled to center field. The Lake Monsters put the game out of a reach in the 9^th adding 3 more runs to take a 9-2 lead.

Norwich will look to win the series tomorrow night when they send Brendan Grady to the rubber opposite John Delgado. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Join us tomorrow night for Thirsty Thursday with Narragansett Beer Specials.

Win – Jack Birtwell (1-0)

Loss – Cam Thomas (0-1)

Save – Sean Gamble (S,2)

Time – 3:30

Written by Adam Plager

Wootton Wows in Sea Unicorns Debut, Leads Norwich to Series-Opening Win

Norwich, CT – Eastern Connecticut State product Matt Wootton paved the way for Norwich in his Sea Unicorns debut Tuesday night against the Lake Monsters. Wootton’s dominant outing helped lead Norwich to their 3^rd win of the summer and back above .500 through their first 5 games.

The Norwich offense supplied Wootton with early run support, plating a run in each of the first 3 innings against Vermont starter Eli Fleming.

In the first, Anthony Tirado came around to score after drawing a leadoff walk. The center fielder took second after an errant pickoff attempt from Fleming and later stole 3rd. Jayden Novak gave Norwich the lead on an RBI groundout to short.

Command trouble continued in the 2^nd for Fleming and aided Norwich in producing their second run of the night. A hit batsman and a walk provided the hosts with immediate traffic on the bases. Despite allowing early traffic, Fleming settled down retiring the next two batters. Chace Chaplin delivered with a pair of outs, lining a single into right field to score Gavin O’Brien, but unfortunately Norwich ran into the last out of the inning as Warden was ruled out at 3^rd after attempting to go 1^st to 3^rd.

A leadoff walk once again harmed the Vermont starter in the 3^rd as Tirado came around to score to extend the Norwich lead to 3. CJ Nolan cracked a double to the wall in left field to bring home Tirado, who began the frame with his 2^nd walk of the night.

The early run support was all Norwich would need as Wootton stymied the Vermont offense to just 1 run over 6 innings. Wootton’s masterful performance earned him Pitcher of the Night honors. The only blemish in the outing came in the 4^th inning when Vermont capitalized on a leadoff double from Bryan Richman.

The bullpen finished the job for Wootton holding Vermont hitless in the final 3 innings. Vermont managed just 2 baserunners against the Norwich bullpen as the Sea Unicorns secured the victory to open the 3-game series with the Lake Monsters.

Norwich will look to win the series tomorrow when Cam Thomas takes the mound opposite Brady Bendik. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Join the Norwich Sea Unicorns and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum for a fun and unique educational experience! Enjoy playing Native American games on the concourse and learning about local Native American history. There will be animal hides, a traditional Native American drum circle, and more!

Win – Matt Wootton (1-0)

Loss – Eli Fleming (1-1)

Save – Gio Conte (S, 1)

Time – 2:24

Written by Adam Plager

Starfires Spoil Sea Unicorns Home Opener

Norwich, CT – The Norwich Sea Unicorns came up short in their home opener Sunday afternoon, falling 6-2 to the Westfield Starfires. The loss drops Norwich back to .500 with a 2-2 record through four games.

Both sides were held scoreless in the opening inning, but Westfield broke through in the 2^nd to take an early 2-0 lead. Westfield took advantage of some command trouble from starter Daniel Cantafi who issued a pair of walks in the frame. The former Starfire narrowly escaped the jam, but the Starfires executed a double steal to set up a 2 out opportunity with runners at 2^nd and 3^rd. Cole Silvia delivered for the visitors poking a 2 out base hit into right field to drive home both runners.

Despite the rocky second, Cantafi settled in and battled his way through four innings, allowing just one earned run in his Sea Unicorns debut.

On the other side, Westfield starter Nathan Pirog held Norwich scoreless through five innings. The Keene State product allowed just four hits and five total baserunners over his outing, effectively stifling the Sea Unicorns’ offense.

Westfield broke the game open in the fifth, striking for three runs to stretch the lead to 5-0. A leadoff walk and base hit set the stage, followed by a successful double steal that forced Norwich to bring the infield in with nobody out. Josh Frometa then rolled a single into center to make it 4-0. Frometa later came around to score on a two-out infield single after stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch.

Norwich responded with a pair of runs in the sixth to slice the Westfield lead to 3. Aidan Stern sparked the rally by legging out an infield single up the first base line. A fielder’s choice moved him into scoring position, and Gavin O’Brien worked a one-out walk to bring up Gabriel Rivera. The Rutgers commit stayed hot at the plate, roping a single into right to drive in Norwich’s first run of the day. Chace Chaplin followed with a fielder’s choice groundout to bring home O’Brien from third. Unfortunately, that would be all the offense Norwich would supply.

Charles Ennis turned in a strong relief performance for Norwich, holding Westfield to just one run over three innings. The right-hander surrendered only two hits and struck out three in his first outing of the summer.

The Starfires added an insurance marker in the ninth. Kacin Robinson led off the inning with a single, prompting Norwich to make a pitching change and relieve Ennis. UConn product Frank Spirito struck out the first two batters he faced, but a misplayed ball in right field produced the 6th run of the afternoon for the Starfires and the 3^rd RBI of the game for Josh Frometa.

Norwich will hunt their first home win Tuesday night when they host the Vermont Lake Monsters. Matt Wootton will take the mound for the Sea Unicorns, opposite Eli Fleming for Vermont. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with gates opening at 5:30.

Tuesday’s promotion: 2 for $5 Hot Dogs! Plus, fans who purchase a ticket to this game will receive a free ticket to our next Tuesday home game on June 24.

 

Win – Nate Pirog (1-0)

Loss – Daniel Cantafi (0-1)

Time – 2:47

Sea Unicorns Bounce Back in Worcester

Worcester, MA – Worcester, MA — The Norwich Sea Unicorns returned to the win column Friday night, posting a 6–3 victory over the Worcester Bravehearts at Fitton Field. The win secured a winning road trip to open the 2025 season.

Norwich struck first in the opening frame with two outs against Worcester starter Jaylem Sepulveda. Aidan Stern reached on a leadoff walk and advanced into scoring position on a fielder’s choice. Gabriel Rivera then chopped a single into right field for his first of three hits on the night, giving the Sea Unicorns an early 1–0 lead.

The Sea Unicorns added insurance with runs in the second and fourth innings to stretch the lead to 3–0. CJ Nolan ripped an RBI double in the second to bring home Mike Anquillare, who had reached on an infield single. In the fourth, Ian Moser clobbered a leadoff home run—the first of the season for Norwich and the first of two longballs on the night.

Norwich’s bats continued to roll in the fifth, adding two more runs to take a commanding 5–0 lead. Jayden Novak opened the inning with a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Rivera stayed hot, lining an RBI single to center to score Novak. Jack Sweeney followed by smashing a double into the alley in right center field, scoring his Rutgers teammate Rivera from second.

Worcester responded in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the deficit to 5–3 with a two-out rally against reliever Matt Pearch. Jackson Marshall roped a two-run double down the left field line, and Chris Mondesir followed with an RBI single to center to pull the Bravehearts within two.

Catcher Jayden Novak responded for the visitors in 6^th with the second home run of the night for Norwich with 2 outs. The blast for Novak marked his first of the summer and supplied Norwich with some critical insurance.

Relievers Ryan Camp and DJ Peterson slammed the door shut in the final four innings holding the Worcester offense to just 1 hit. Camp earned his 2^nd win of the summer tossing 2 scoreless innings and Peterson secured the save for Norwich recording the final 6 outs.

Yale product Ben Winslow impressed in his Sea Unicorns debut, earning Futures League Pitcher of the Night honors. He worked four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and struck out four.

At the plate, Gabriel Rivera was named Player of the Night after going 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a run scored to help power the Norwich offense.

The Sea Unicorns return home tonight for their 2025 home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Dodd Stadium. Daniel Cantafi will get the start for Norwich, opposite Andrew Chenevert.

The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a 2025 magnet schedule branded by the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Following the game, fans can enjoy a postgame fireworks show courtesy of Liberty Bank.

 

Win – Ryan Camp

Loss – Jaylem Sepulveda

Save – DJ Peterson

Time 2:39

Westfield, MA – The Norwich Sea Unicorns suffered their first loss of the 2025 season on Thursday afternoon, falling 15–5 to the Westfield Starfires.

Norwich opened the scoring in the second inning, capitalizing on command issues from Westfield pitching. The Sea Unicorns loaded the bases without recording a hit thanks to two walks and a hit batsman. Starter Sam Formus issued the free passes, and reliever Traigh Skiffington plunked the first two batters he faced, forcing in the game’s first run.

Westfield responded immediately in the bottom half, plating three runs off Norwich starter Luke Cardman. The Starfires’ offense came roaring to life with five straight hits before Cardman recorded his first out of the inning.

The hosts added insurance in the third and fourth innings, striking for two runs in each frame to take a 7–1 lead into the fifth. In the third, Westfield’s offense was aided by a pair of singles, a hit batsman, and a Norwich defensive error. The fourth inning saw more command issues from the Sea Unicorns, as Westfield capitalized on a walk, three wild pitches, and another defensive miscue.

Norwich battled back to cut into the deficit, scoring two runs in the fifth and adding one each in the sixth and seventh to make it a 7–5 game. A pair of walks in the fifth sparked the rally, with Spencer Chard driving in Jayden Novak with a single to right. Alec Warden followed with an RBI knock of his own to bring home Chard.

In the sixth, Novak came through with a two-out RBI single to center, scoring Kenny Noe. The Sea Unicorns kept the pressure on in the seventh, as Noe flipped a two-out RBI to bring Norwich within two but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, ending the inning.

Unfortunately, the 2-run deficit would be the closest Norwich would come in the comeback effort. The Starfires exploded in the 8^th for 7 runs to win the game via the run rule. Westfield sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, fueled by 4 walks, 5 hits, and and error.

Despite the lopsided final score, there were a few bright spots for Norwich. Alec Warden and Kenny Noe each collected two hits and scored a run, with Noe also adding an RBI in his first start of the season. On the mound, Central Connecticut State product Bryson Plante impressed in relief, scattering two hits over 3.1 innings while allowing just one run.

The Sea Unicorns will look to bounce back Friday night in Worcester to close out their three-game road trip. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. from Fitton Field, as Yale product Ben Winslow takes the mound for Norwich opposite Western Oklahoma’s Jaylem Sepulveda for the Bravehearts.

Win – Traigh Skiffington (1-0)

Loss – Luke Cardman (0-1)

Time – 3:39

Fast Start Propels Norwich to Opening Day Victory

Westfield, MA – The Norwich Sea Unicorns began the 2025 season with a 9-7 victory over the Westfield Starfires Wednesday afternoon at Bullens Field.

Norwich did not waste time striking for a pair of runs in the top of the 1^st against Westfield starter Connor Niemiec. Early command trouble from Niemiec set the stage for the Norwich offense. Ian Moser cashed in for the visitors, cracking a 2 out, bases loaded single into right field to give Norwich an early 2-0 lead.

In the 2nd, Norwich extended their lead to 3. Jack Sweeney began the turbulence on the base paths dumping a one out single into left. Aidan Stern followed with a base hit to center and an error by the Westfield centerfielder allowed Sweeney to advance to 3^rd, giving Norwich runners at the corners. A ground out to first brought home the 3^rd run of the game for the Sea Unicorns.

The offense exploded in the 5^th for 6 runs to take a commanding 9-0 lead. Norwich recorded just one hit in the frame but took complete advantage of Westfield’s defensive miscues including a pair of errors and 3 walks issued by Westfield pitching. Alec Warden delivered the big blow, smacking a bases clearing double to centerfield. Sweeney finished the score fest with a sacrifice fly to right.

Despite a 9-run lead, it wasn’t a smooth ride to the finish line for Norwich as Westfield battled back in the late innings to close their deficit to 2. The Starfires got on the board in the 6^th to cut into the Norwich lead with a 3-run inning. The hosts scratched across four in the eighth, turning Norwich’s once-comfortable lead into a 2-run game heading into the 9^th.

Cam Thomas locked down the save for Norwich after escaping a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the 9^th. Thomas preserved the victory for the Sea Unicorns with his 2^nd strikeout of the inning. Ryan Camp earned the victory for Norwich, tossing 1.2 innings of no-hit baseball in relief.

Norwich will complete their mini-2-game series against the Starfires this morning with first pitch once again schedule for 10:30 a.m. Luke Cardman will take the mound for Norwich and will go opposite Sam Formus of Westfield in the series finale.

Win- Ryan Camp (1-0)

Loss – Connor Niemiec (0-1)

Save – Cam Thomas (S, 1)

Time – 2:59