On Wednesday the Bravehearts had an “unofficial” opening day at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field with a 10:30am start for the first of many “Baseball in Education days” the team is holding, and hopefully the school kids got to stick around until the end as both Worcester and the Norwich Sea Unicorns combined for 13 runs in the eighth inning, with WooBall eventually coming out on top 14-11.
The Bravehearts have a recap posted on their website, so we’ll link to that. In addition, Matty Warren stole three bases in the game, tying the Bravehearts franchise single-game record. It’s the 10th time in franchise history a player has stolen three bases in a game. Tyler Bastunas, Jeremy Rosenberg, and Christian Limón became the 19th, 20th, and 21st WooBall players to single in their first at-bat with the team. Vincent Eramo became the fifth to double in his first at-bat, and Marc Willi became the fifth player to have his first hit with the team be a home run.
For his two home runs and five RBI the Futures Collegiate Baseball League named Willi its “Player of the Night”
Highlights/interviews
Thursday was the first road game on the season for the Bravehearts as they went west down the Mass Pike to take on the Westfield Starfires at Bullens Field in another 10:30am start, but this time their comeback fell a little short as Worcester dropped the contest 5-4. Down two runs after one frame Christian Limón cut the deficit in half with a second inning sacrifice fly, scoring Matt Milone. Down 4-1 entering the fourth Caden Dulin scored on a wild pitch to make it a 4-2.
Westfield grabbed a run in the home half to lead by three again, and WooBall’s two runs in the fifth, off a Milone RBI double and a Starfires infield error, put them down 5-4. Neither team scored the rest of the way. Thursday saw the return of lefty Tyler Mudd to Worcester’s lineup. Mudd, who struck out five in two innings without allowing a run, was a co-winner of 210Sports “Best Freshman” award for the 2021 season. The Holy Cross junior played for Ocean State of the NECBL last summer, with an appearance for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League.
Friday was the official opening night at the HIP as Worcester took on the defending FCBL champion Nashua Silver Knights, and for the first time since July 25, 2021 WooBall shut out an opponent with a 5-0 whitewashing of their rivals from New Hampshire. Starter Clay Robbins went six innings allowing just two hits while striking out eight. Max LeBlanc struck out four in his two innings of work, and Dennis Colleran followed with a two strikeout ninth frame. It was the 19th time in franchise history Bravehearts pitchers didn’t walk a batter.
Worcester got on the board three times in the opening frame when Tyler Bastunas scored on a wild pitch and an Antonio Morales single plated two more. With the hit Morales became the 22nd player to single in his first at-bat with the team. In the sixth Kebler Peralta scored on a double-steal and an error, and in the eighth Bastunas notched an RBI single for the 5-0 final.
The Bravehearts named Robbins their player of the game, and the FCBL named him their “Pitcher of the Night”.
Highlights/interviews
Saturday was Nashua’s turn to host the two clubs in the back half of their home and home match-up, but the friendly confines of Holman Stadium didn’t help the Silver Knights as Worcester put up five runs in the second frame and then held on for a 6-4 win. Nashua grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Bravehearts tied it on an infield error and then took the lead for good with a Vincent Eramo three run blast. Three batters later Caden Dulin made it 5-1 with an RBI single.
A Ryan Juliano RBI triple made it 6-2 after five and a half. Nashua would grab two runs in the latter innings before Axel Johnson entered the game with two runners on in the ninth and earned the save. Tyler Mudd earned the win in relief of starter JT Raab.
Highlights/interviews
Sunday’s game in New Britain was suspended in the top of the third after a Bravehearts player was injured rounding second base. The team did tweet the player’s name, but we will refrain from posting it. The game will be picked up at that point at a date to be determined.
Usually Monday is an off day, but this week with it Memorial Day the FCBL is playing. That game’s recap will appear in next week’s post.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: Clay Robbins gets the nod this week for his six-inning win, striking out eight while allowing just two hits and no runs.
Batter: Tyler Bastunas is this week’s winner, going 9-17 with a double and a triple. He also had four walks, scored seven runs and stole seven bases.
This week’s opponents
Monday vs New Britain, 1pm
Tuesday vs Brockton, 6:30pm
Wednesday at Norwich, 11am
Thursday off day
Friday vs Westfield, 6:30pm
Saturday at Pittsfield, 6pm
Sunday at Pittsfield, 4pm
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Wednesday
New Britain 5, @Westfield 3
@Vermont 6, Brockton 4
@Pittsfield 13, Nashua 3 (7 innings, curfew)
Thursday
@New Britain 4, Pittsfield 0
Nashua 6, @Brockton 4
@Vermont 3, Norwich 2
Friday
New Britain 8, @Brockton 2
Norwich 4, @Vermont 1
@Pittsfield 3, Westfield 1
Saturday
Pittsfield 10, @Vermont 9
@Westfield 6, Brockton 5 (10 innings)
@New Britain 10, Norwich 9
Sunday
Westfield 4, @Brockton 2
Norwich 8, @Nashua 0
@Vermont 7, Pittsfield 5
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl and on Twitter
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