By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Slappers kept their strong start to the 2025 Twi League season going with an 11-1 victory over the Unknowns on Friday night at Moulton Park. The Slap improved to 3-0 with the victory, keeping pace with the reigning champion Brewers who are also 3-0.
The Slappers racked up 11 hits and also took advantage of wild Unknown pitches to the tune of 7 walks and 4 hit-batters.
Slappers starter Brian Tartarini kept the Question Marks off-balance all night. He got the complete-game victory, allowing just 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4 and surrendering one run.
The Slap’s offense got its biggest boost from Jake Barresi who racked up 6 RBI in the win. His bases-clearing double in the 6th accounted for the last 3 Slapper runs with the game in hand, turning an 8-1 lead into 11-1.
The Slap picked up one in the 1st when leadoff hitter Steve Wesley (2-for-2, 3 runs, 1RBI) singled, stole second and later scored on a passed ball.
That tied it up since the Unknowns scored their only run in the top of the 1st on a Chris Alden RBI.
The Slappers put together a 2-out rally in the 2nd to take the lead, starting with a base hit by Tartarini. Wesley followed with an RBI double and Jack Ryan made it 3-1 with an RBI single.
The Slap got it rolling again in the 4th, adding three more runs to make it 6-1.
Brendan Dudman led off with a single and with the bases loaded, Barresi was hit by a pitch to make it 4-1. Later with two away, walks drawn by Cam DePrizio and Kevin Deleary pushed the lead to 6-1.
“Tarts” wouldn’t need all that insurance as he calmly put away his opponents, allowing just one base runner from the 4th through the 6th.
The Unknowns fell to 1-3 with the loss. They have a big matchup with the Brewers tonight, 6 p.m. at Walsh Field before entering the Fourth of July break.
Also tonight, the Slappers (3-0-1) and Expos (0-3-1) will have a 24-hour rematch at Moulton after a 6-6 tie last night.
Those will be the last two games of the week. The league will resume on Monday with a matchup between the Expos and High Life (1-3), 6 p.m. at Moulton.