After an off day on Monday the Worcester Breavhearts hosted the expansion Norwich Sea Unicorns Tuesday night at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field, and after not being able to hold a seventh-inning lead WooBall would go on to lose their 6-6 contest in a home run derby.
Down four runs heading into the home half of the third Worcester came roaring back to tie it on a Alex Neff sacrifice fly, and bases loaded walks by Nic Britt, Dakota Harris, and Jonathan Santucci. The Bravehearts took a 5-4 lead in the fourth on an infield nubber by Christian Siciliano, and in the sixth El Rico Riley crushed a solo shot for the two run lead. But the Sea Unicorns battled back to tie it with two in the eighth, and neither squad would score the rest of the way. Norwich would then win the home run derby 7-3.
It was off to Wahconah Park Wednesday as WooBall took on the Pittsfield Suns, and while Worcester got out of the gate quickly the Suns never faltered and handed the Bravehearts a 5-3 loss. Worcester got two runs in the first, one on an infield error and the other courtesy of a Michael Perales RBI single. The next five runs were scored by Pittsfield, and Wooball could only answer with a single run in the eighth off an infield out. Jack Choate pitched well for Worcester in a long relief role, striking out seven and allowing just one earned run in six innings.
Thursday saw Worcester heading to Westfield to take on the Starfires, and after battling back to tie the game in the late innings WooBall had a few miscues in the home half of the eighth and that cost them in a 6-5 loss to Westfield. Down 5-1 after six, with WooBall’s lone run coming on an infield out, Worcester grabbed a second run on a Nick Martin RBI single. In the eighth the Bravehearts scored three to tie it, using RBI singles from El Rico Riley and Tayven Kelley and a bases-loaded walk by Nick Martin. The Starfires would go on to grab the winning run on an infield error, stolen base, and two wild pitches.
Norwich returned to the HIP on Friday night and the Bravehearts got some incredible pitching and timely hitting to defeat the Sea Unicorn a 10-0 in a mercy-rule shortened game after seven innings. WooBall got two runs in the top of the first on a Sebastian Salado sacrifice fly and an Andrew Selima RBI single, and that was more than enough for Worcester pitching corps. Alex Amalfi allowed just three hits in five innings of work, striking out eight. Tyler Nielsen and Nick Giattino each added hitless innings, combining for five strikeouts.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bravehearts put the game out of reach with an eight-hit, eight-run frame. Alex Neff began the onslaught with an RBI double, followed by a Salado RBI single. Michael Chaves Jr then brought them home with a moon-shot three-run blast. Three batters later a Randy Flores triple scored two more runs, and Nick Martin‘s RBI single capped the scoring in the frame.
Saturday’s contest in Brockton was postponed due to field conditions, but their match-up on Sunday at the HIP was some of the best baseball weather possible and behind a four-run fifth inning WooBall came out on top 6-4. The Rox grabbed a run in the first, but Worcester tied it in the second on a Jonathan Santucci triple and a Gavin Noriega sacrifice fly. Down a run again in the fouth the Bravehearts once again tied it, this time courtesy of a Tayven Kelley home run.
Again the Rox took a lead, but in the fifth Worcester went out in front to stay. Kelley doubled in two runs, and Santucci followed with an RBI single. An infield error led to Wooball’s fourth run in the frame. Brockton would make it 6-4 with a run in the seventh, but Santucci moved from center field to pitch to earn his second save of the season. Tyler Mudd and LJ Keevan also had scoreless relief stints in the game.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: Alex Amalfi is this week’s winner, allowing just three hits over five innings to earn a win while striking out eight.
Batter: El Rico Riley gets the nod this week, going 7-19 in five games with a home run. He scored six runs during the week and added a stolen base.
This week’s opponents
Monday off
Tuesday @ Brockton, DH (game 1, 3pm)
Wednesday vs Vermont, 6:30pm
Thursday vs Vermont, 6:30pm
Friday @ Norwich, 7pm
Saturday vs Brockton, 6:30pm
Sunday @Pittsfield, 4:30
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Tuesday
@Brockton 13, Westfield 3 (7 innings, mercy)
@Vermont 6, New Britain 5
Wednesday
Norwich 8, @Nashua 4
@Westfield 14, Brockton 4 (7 innings, mercy)
@Vermont 2, New Britain 1
Thursday
Nashua 6, @Pittsfield 3 (game 1, 7 innings)
@Pittsfield 4, Nashua 0 (game 2, 7 innings)
Norwich 4, @New Britain 3
Vermont 5, @Brockton 1
Friday
@Westfield 10, Nashua 7 (game 1, 7 innings)
Nashua 3, @Westfield 2 (game 2, 7 innings)
@Brockton 8, Vermont 1
Pittsfield 6, @New Britain 1
Saturday
@Pittsfield 10, New Britain 0 (7 innings, mercy)
@Vermont 4, Westfield 1
Norwich 9, @Nashua 4
Sunday
@New Britain 8, Nashua 4
@Norwich 3, Pittsfield 2
@Westfield 9, Vermont 2
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl on twitter.
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