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 8th 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