Sea Unicorns Roller Coaster Season Continues in Extra Inning Win Over Nashua

Norwich, CT – It was absolute cinema in the Rose City, as the Sea Unicorns won an extra innings thriller over the Nashua Silver Knights. 

Pitching dominated the early part of the game for both sides. Through the first six innings, the teams only scored a combined three runs. 

Nashua starter Matthew Donovan pitched four innings of one-hit baseball alongside his one strikeout. Ryan Maiorano continued the success in relief, pitching two innings and only allowing one run with three strikeouts. 

For the Sea Unicorns, Jacob Schrage went four innings deep and only allowed two runs on two hits and four strikeouts. The walks plagued the Norwich pitching staff, as the unit combined for nine walks allowed by the conclusion of the game. A bright spot for this Norwich pitching staff was newcomer Kevin Penny, who pitched three scoreless innings in his Sea Unicorn debut to earn himself the Prime 82 Performer of the Night.

Nashua ran the basepaths all day, totaling five stolen bases compared to Norwich’s zero. The action on the basepaths helped Nashua jump out to an early lead, with Hunter Troiano blasting an RBI double to left in the first inning to make it a 1-0 ballgame.

The dominant pitching would keep the game quiet until the fifth, where the Silver Knights struck again with a double steal leading to Mason Wilson scoring on what was ruled a wild pitch. 

The Sea Unicorns would plate their first run of the game in the home half of the fifth, with TJ Baer knocking an RBI double to left. 

Norwich would come alive in the seventh inning. With runners on the corners, a Kenny Noe fielder’s choice would tie the game at 2. After Baer singled to load the bases with one out, Matt Park drove a run in on an RBI single to take the lead. Jackson Powers followed that with a sacrifice fly, giving the Sea Unicorns a 4-2 lead.

Norwich manager Zach Gitschier put Sam Hutchinson in to pitch the eighth, and immediately faced some trouble. A fielding error from Park would let the leadoff man reach base before a Troiano walk put two runners on. Connor Smith would make them pay, slashing an RBI single to right to bring Nashua back within one. 

Up 4-3, the Sea Unicorns entered the ninth looking to slam the door shut. After Adam Carpenter walked the leadoff hitter, Sean McGettigan entered the game to try and secure a save. After a quick out, Mason Campagna pinch hit and drove a single to right field, putting runners on the corners. McGettigan would then be called for a balk by the home plate umpire, causing controversy as the tying run would come home from third to score on the play. 

Bryce Miller would come to the rescue, throwing out the go ahead run at third base on a snap throw before Shaun Flannery forced a lineout to end the ninth. 

The tenth would start out as a disaster for Norwich. A stolen base and more throwing errors allowed the Silver Knights to take a 6-4 lead. 

However, the Sea Unicorns felt the magic in the air. After two outs with runners on the corners and still down 6-4, a Noe single would cause chaos on the field, as Nashua began throwing the ball around, causing an error to score both runners and tie the game once again. Nashua put in Josh Martino to try and send the game to a home run derby, but Baer had other plans, knocking in the winning run on an RBI single to win the ballgame 7-6. 

Noe would take home the Futures League Player of the Night honors, going 2-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two walks. 

The Sea Unicorns are now 18-22 on the campaign. Norwich will head back to Massachusetts to take on the Lowell Spinners Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. 

Win – Shaun Flannery (2-2)

Loss – Josh Martino (0-1)

Time – 3:11

written by Mark Benway

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

Thursday, July 16th vs Vermont Lake Monsters @ 6:30pm (gates open at 5:30)

Thirsty Thursday

It’s another Thirsty Thursday at Dodd Stadium! Come on down to the ballpark for some great beer specials and exciting Sea Unicorns baseball.

Presented by Narragansett Beer

Friday, July 17th vs Vermont Lake Monsters @ 6:30pm (gates open at 5:30)

Postgame Fireworks

Stick around after the conclusion of the game for a fireworks spectacle!

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