Fireworks exploded over the sky at Dodd Stadium on Tuesday night. Minutes earlier, fans sang the New England baseball national anthem “Sweet Caroline” before the top of the ninth inning. The pregame ceremonies featured remarks from Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom, appearances by a Color Guard flag corps and a Foot Guard regiment, and an autograph session and ceremonial first pitch from former New York Yankees World Series hero Jim Leyritz.
The Rose City All-Stars, which included members of the Norwich Sea Unicorns, defeated the Three Rivers All-Stars, 9-1, in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game before 3,159 at Dodd Stadium.
And for another night, Norwich was the center of the baseball universe .
“This was a great experience for everyone,” Rose City All Stars manager Kevin Murphy said. “And great for Norwich too.”
Dodd’s All-Star history
This was the fourth time Dodd Stadium has hosted All-Star Game festivities. There was the Double AA All-Star Game in 2002 when over 8,000 Norwich baseball fans got to see future Major Leaguers DeWayne Wise, Victor Martinez, and Clint Barmes as the American League topped the National League, 7-5.
Wise, who played on seven different teams over a 13-yard MLB career, robbed Gabe Kapler of a home run to preserve Mark Buehrele’s perfect game for the Chicago White Sox in 2009.
Remember Marshall McDougall? He was also at Dodd in 2002 as a Double AA All-Star with the Midland Rockhounds. McDougall is best known for going 7-for-7 with six home runs and 16 RBIs in a game for Florida State. The NCAA switched to different bats shortly after.
Were you one of the fans who couldn’t see fly balls at the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game? A thick fog rolled into Dodd right before the game.
“From the press box, signs on the outfield fence could not be read and players often disappeared into the murky abyss,” wrote Evan Muhl, an associate reporter for MLB.com.
When Connecticut Defenders outfielder John Bowker lost a routine fly ball in the fog in the top of the third inning, managers Dave Machemer and Tim Bogar - along with the umpiring crew and Eastern League president Joe McEacharn - decided to call the game.
Who remembers seeing Carl Yastrzemski’s grandson play in the New York-Penn League All Star Game at Dodd?
San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski began his professional career in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He was with the Aberdeen IronBirds when he started for the American League in the 2013 NY-Penn League All Star Game in Norwich.
The Futures Collegiate Baseball League has had a number of players reach the MLB, most notably, Ben Rice of the New York Yankees. Rice hit 11 home runs for the Worcester Bravehearts in 2020.
And the league’s best players, who arrived at Dodd from all over New England, were on display for Norwich baseball fans on Tuesday night.
Norwich Sea Unicorns General Manager Lee Walter Jr. and his staff have done a terrific job celebrating the 30th season of baseball at Dodd Stadium. And having the league’s Home Run Derby and Midsummer Classic in Norwich was a cherry on top for the Sea Unicorns organization.
“It was awesome,” Murphy said.
Murphy, who guided the Sea Unicorns to their first Futures League championship last summer, enjoyed filling up the lineup card as an All-Star manager.
“It was fun just getting everybody in,” Murphy said. “It’s an all-star game, obviously, so you want to give guys their due and what they deserve.”
Sea Unicorns shine
The victorious Rose City All Stars included Sea Unicorns players AJ Soldra (NJIT), Nick Tomasetto (Rutgers), Jimmy Mulvaney (Fairfield), Gavin Hawkes (Rider), Gio Conte (UConn), Christian Stratis (UAB), Liam Carroll (New Haven), and Nick Sturino (Fairfield).
Hawkes, Carroll, and Conte were among the eight Rose City pitchers who combined to allow no earned runs and six hits against the Three Rivers team. Carroll, a lefthander who pitched two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, was named the Pitcher of the Game.
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“I was just trying to get ahead and get outs as quick as possible and throw strikes,” Carroll said.
Unfortunately, this was Carroll’s last appearance as a Sea Unicorn. He’s reached his innings limit from his college coaches at New Haven. Carroll had a 1.90 ERA and struck out 27 batters over 23⅔ innings for the Sea Unicorns.
“It was fun to play here at Dodd,” Carroll said. “I was excited to be here. Norwich is a very competitive team so it’s great playing competitive baseball and winning games.”
Soldra, an outfielder who plays at Division I New Jersey Institute of Technology, was named the Offensive Player of the Game. Soldra lined a two run double down the right line in the bottom of the second inning to give the Rose City All Stars a 3-0 lead over Three Rivers.
“It’s a great feeling,” Soldra said. “The goal is really just to go out there and have fun. You get to play with all of the best players and get to know the guys. They're really a great group of guys.”
Soldra is batting .359 with 17 RBIs for the Sea Unicorns.
“AJ has been our guy and Liam also has had a really good summer too,” Murphy said. “So that’s cool for them (winning the awards). Both of those guys are really important to the success that we’re having this year.”
Tomasetto also had a hit and an RBI for Rose City.
The first-place Sea Unicorns won four straight, and 9 of 11 games, heading into the All-Star break and currently enjoy a two and a half game lead over the second place Westfield Starfires.
“It’s going to be an uphill battle, especially losing some guys in the second half of the season,” Murphy said. “But we’re excited. We’ve got a good club and we’re going to try and go back-to-back here.”
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After all of the fireworks and All-Star Game euphoria, the Sea Unicorns get back to business with a road trip to Vermont.
“This place (Dodd) is amazing, not only my team and the coaches, but also just the atmosphere we get to play in every night,” Soldra said. “I’m really excited going forward for, hopefully, some big playoff games.”
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Sea Unicorns shine at Futures League All-Star game
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