No Time to Waste: Sea Unicorns Set for 2.5-Week Sprint to Playoffs

Norwich, CT – With the All-Star Break now in the rearview mirror, the Norwich Sea Unicorns enter a crucial 2.5-week stretch in the thick of the Futures League playoff race. Just 18 games remain in the regular season—including two suspended contests that will be resumed due to earlier weather interruptions.

Norwich currently holds the fourth and final playoff spot with a 20-24 record, but the margin is razor-thin. The New Britain Bees sit just 1.5 games behind at 21-26, while the Sea Unicorns also trail the third-place Nashua Silver Knights by 1.5 games. At the top of the standings, it’s been a two-team race between the Worcester Bravehearts (34-12) and the Vermont Lake Monsters (30-16), with Vermont riding a six-game win streak into the final stretch.

Doubleheaders & Suspended Games

The Sea Unicorns face a loaded schedule right out of the break, with multiple doubleheaders and suspended games on tap:

  • Thursday, July 24 @ Worcester: The day begins with a 10:30 a.m. Camp Day 7-inning game at Fitton Field. Then at 1:30 p.m., the two teams will resume their suspended July 9 game from the bottom of the fourth inning, with Norwich leading 2-0 thanks to a CJ Nolan two-run homer.
  • Saturday, July 27 vs Westfield: Norwich will host a doubleheader at Dodd Stadium following a rainout on July 10. Both games will be 7 innings, with first pitch at 1:00 p.m., and Game 2 scheduled to begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game 1.
  • July 29–31 @ Vermont: On Wednesday, July 30, Norwich and Vermont will resume their suspended July 13 game—a wild contest paused with Norwich leading 6-5 in the top of the 10th with two outs—before playing their originally scheduled 9-inning game.

Key Matchups Ahead

Norwich’s playoff fate could very well hinge on a handful of crucial matchups in the coming weeks:

  • vs New Britain Bees (3 games remaining): The Sea Unicorns will travel to New Britain Stadium twice, including a pivotal game this Saturday, July 26. The two teams will also meet August 7–8 in a home-and-home series, beginning Thursday night at Dodd Stadium. That game will air live on NESN+ and marks the final regular season home game of the summer.
  • vs Nashua Silver Knights (2 games at home): Both matchups against Nashua will be played at Dodd Stadium—Friday, July 25 and Friday, August 1—with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. Both nights will feature postgame fireworks presented by Liberty Bank and will include Norwich wearing their Rose of New England City Connect uniforms presented by Dime Bank.

Players Making an Impact

Several Sea Unicorns entered the break on a tear, helping to power Norwich through a tight playoff race:

  • Bryce Detwiler (UConn commit) has been scorching hot, recording hits in four of his last five games while also finishing second in the Futures League Home Run Derby with 27 total home runs. Over that five-game stretch, Detwiler is hitting .444 with 7 RBI, 3 runs, and three multi-hit performances.
  • Matt Wootton, an All-Star and the league’s innings leader (41 IP), ranks second in the Futures League with a 2.41 ERA and has tallied two complete-game wins. He also leads Norwich in wins (4) and strikeouts (35).
  • Frank Spirito has been dominant as a starter, allowing just one earned run over his last 20.2 innings. During that span, he’s posted a 19:6 K:BB ratio while keeping opposing hitters off balance with command and poise.

UPCOMING PROMOTION

vs Nashua Silver Knights @ 6:30pm (gates open at 5:30pm)

“Norwich Connect” Jersey Night

The Sea Unicorns will wear special “Rose of New England” jerseys to show their strong connection to the City they call home, featuring three blue sections to signify the Three Rivers of Norwich as well as being emblazoned in the front red section with The Rose of New England!

Presented by: Dime Bank

First Responder Night

Join the Sea Unicorns as we thank our First Responders! Special ticket pricing for First Responders is available by calling or visiting the Dodd Stadium Ticket Office.

Presented by: Hartford Healthcare

Postgame Fireworks

Stick around following the game for a spectacular fireworks show by American Fireworks!

Presented by: Liberty Bank

Written by Adam Plager