with Almost one quarter of season gone, a look back at how the sea unicorns got here
The Norwich Sea Unicorns are now just over two weeks into their quest for a 4th consecutive Futures League championship title, and things have been quite rocky for the three-time champs. First-year manager Zach Gitschier currently has the Sea Unicorns sitting in sixth-place with a 5-8 record. Four of Norwich’s seven losses have been lost in the later-innings of the game, with the Sea Unicorns bullpen being unable to control a late lead.
These pitching struggles go beyond the few late-inning relievers. The team currently holds a collective 5.43 ERA and a .283 batting average against them, which is fourth and sixth in the Futures League respectively. However, there are bright spots within the clubhouse, such as starting pitcher Matt Tabet. The Amherst Mammoth currently has a 0.00 ERA through 14 innings of play with 12 strikeouts, earning himself the title as one of the best pitchers in the Futures League.
The home crowd got to see a spectacular performance back on Opening Night from starting pitcher Janvier Diaz. Diaz has continued to pitch well, currently holding a 1.13 ERA through 8 innings with 6 strikeouts.
One reliever that has become one of the best in the league through the early part of the season despite a poor team performance is Joe Pitts. The UConn Husky currently has a 1.93 ERA and 8 strikeouts through only 4.2 innings pitched.
Offensively, the team has been bipolar throughout the early campaign. The team strikes hot early in games, taking an early lead in eight of their 13 games this season. The team is also the best on the basepaths with a whopping 48 stolen bases alongside 31 HBP’s, which both lead the league. However, the team collectively holds the worst batting average in the Futures League at .225 and the worst slugging percentage at .284. Luckily, the Sea Unicorns haven’t depended on big hits to drive in runs, relying heavily on small ball as they have the least amount of extra base hits in the league with 17.
Leading the team offensively is none other than Michael Fiatarone. Through 11 games, the Bryant Bulldog currently leads the Futures League with an astounding 13 stolen bases and is third in the league with a .400 batting average alongside 9 RBI’s. A big moment for Fiatarone came in the 18-5 win against the Westfield Starfires back on June 3rd, as he drove in his career high 4 RBI’s to help the Sea Unicorns pull away to victory.
Jackson Powers is another name for fans to keep an eye on as the season continues. The Saint Anselm student currently holds 8 RBI’s, which is top ten in the Futures League. Although his batting average is not one to be happy about, sitting currently at a .152, his outs haven’t been with no effort. He consistently makes hard contact and will break through in a matter of time.
The struggles on the team don’t get any better when taking a look at the defense, specifically fielding errors plaguing the Sea Unicorns. The team currently has a historic 28 errors, averaging a little over two errors a game. No team in any league can consistently win ballgames when committing errors that cost runs on the board at that rate. Shortstop specifically has been a struggle for Gitschier’s squad, with Kenny Noe having seven errors.
Overall, the team has struggled in front of the home crowd. Norwich currently holds a 1-5 record at Dodd Stadium compared to their 4-3 record on the road. It showed in their June 11th loss to the league-worst Lowell Spinners. Dodd Stadium has been notoriously known to keep the baseballs inside the dimensions. However, the Spinners were able to smash two home runs in the same inning, a feat that is extremely hard to come by in Norwich. That rare feat was only the latest of examples of the home struggles that have plagued the 2026 Sea Unicorns.
If the Sea Unicorns want to win that fourth consecutive title in the Futures League, Gitschier and his unit will have to clean up the simple mistakes. Errors and blown leads will continue to plague the team and lose games if they are not fixed fast. Offensively, you can only do so much if your defense can’t stop a simple base hit due to bad throws and overthinking on the field. Gitschier will have a lot on his plate as the season rolls on, but the foundation for success is there. It just needs to be executed.
Written by Mark Benway
