Writing Sample: New Britain Bees Game Recap
Cohall’s three hits, bullpen dominance lift New Britain over Westfield on Opening Day
By: Jack Lydon
Last Updated: May 24th, 2023 @ 4:08 p.m.
WESTFIELD – Aidan Cohall’s three-hit performance led the New Britain Bees over the Westfield Starfires, 5-3, on Opening Day from Bullens Field in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday.
Cohall, who just finished his freshman season with St. John’s, joins New Britain having not appeared for the Red Storm all spring.
Manager Matt Gedman, in his second season with the Bees, pushed the right buttons out of the bullpen, calling upon five pitchers to seal up a win to open the 2023 season.
Assumption’s Kyle Keating got the call to open the season for New Britain. Keating, in twelve games during collegiate ball this spring, threw over 40 innings with an ERA over five. The Plymouth, Massachusetts native tossed three one-hit scoreless innings, he would leave with no decision in the game.
From there, Jason Johnson, Zach Karson, Brian Hart and Christian Pedro combined to throw six quality innings in relief, piecing together the pitching puzzle for Gedman.
Johnson and Hart, both first-year Bees, each tossed scoreless frames during their outings.
Outfielder Payten Wawruck, who plays his college baseball at Fairfield University, was heavily involved in the offensive production for New Britain manufacturing three runs, including a two home run off of Ryan Bailey in the bottom of the fifth inning.
New Britain padded the lead once again in the top of the eighth inning, when Cohall notched his third hit. This made it a 5-1 game after 8 ½ innings.
A late rally proved to be too late for the Starfires, who saw two runs cross the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning. New Britain held on in the final inning to improve to 1-0 to begin the 2023 summer collegiate season.
New Britain returns home to New Britain Stadium tomorrow, where they will host the Pittsfield Suns at 10:30 a.m. The Bees expect a large crowd tomorrow, as they open their promotional calendar for 2023 with “Kids Day”.
Esteban Rivera III is expected to start for the Bees, according to Gedman.
The game can be streamed live on WFSB’s “The WAX” and across the New Britain Bees television network.
