The Futures League season did not start off the way the Norwich Sea Unicorns would have liked. Looking to become the first team in the league’s history to win three straight championships, the Sea Unicorns struggled to win consistently for most of the summer. However, the team was able to secure a berth into the playoffs for the third year in a row, and then pulled off the unthinkable by winning two straight games over a Worcester Bravehearts team that steamrolled its way to a regular season record 45 wins. However, the inconsistency continued with a championship series opening loss to the New Britain Bees, and then being down to their final two outs in the ninth inning of game 2 before rallying to tie, and eventually win in 12 innings, to force a decisive game 3. When the dust had settled, the Sea Unicorns accomplished the threepeat.
This week, the Futures League announced its first and second team all league players. The Sea Unicorns placed five players on the teams, pitchers Matt Wootton (1st) and Frank Spirito (1st), infielders Charlie Walsh (1st) and Chace Chaplin (2nd) and Utility Player Aidan Stern (2nd).
Wootton and Spirito both had solid regular seasons before shining during the playoff run. Wootton (5-1, 2.70 ERA in the regular season) pitched 6.1 innings in the playoff opener at Worcester, leading the Sea Unicorns to an 8-4 victory that set up the series sweep of the Bravehearts. He also pitched the final inning of the championship series, after struggling in his game 2 start against New Britain, securing the final out on a groundout. Spirito (1-1, 2.27 ERA in the regular season) pitched 8 shutout innings in game 2 against Worcester before the game went into the 14th inning for the Sea Unicorns walk off victory to move on to the championship series.
And while mentioning that 14th inning walk off against Worcester, it was Charlie Walsh’s opposite field base hit that drove in the winning run in that game. Walsh (36 hits, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 20 runs batted in, 25 runs scored in the regular season) also had 2 RBI in game 2 of the finals and scored 2 runs in game 3 against New Britain while providing solid defense for the Sea Unicorns. Walsh was named the 1st team second baseman by the Futures League.
Chaplin was the Sea Unicorns first baseman for a bulk of the games down the stretch, batting .314 on the season, with 32 hits, 6 doubles, a home run, 12 runs driven in, 17 runs scored and 8 stolen bases. His solid play continued in the postseason, batting .300 with 6 hits, 2 doubles, 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored.
Stern played 31 games during the regular season, getting playing time in the infield and outfield. Overall, Stern hit .309 with 34 hits, 5 doubles, 2 triples, a home run, 7 runs batted in, 22 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. Stern did not participate in the Sea Unicorns postseason run and was listed on the Futures League 2nd team at Designated Hitter.