After their usual off-day on Monday Holman Stadium in Nashua was host Tuesday for the Worcester Bravehearts opening game of the week, and in a pitcher’s duel that went into extra innings and beyond WooBall was able to come out on top 2-1 in a home run derby against the defending Futures Collegiate Baseball League champion Silver Knights.
After falling behind 1-0 in the third inning the Bravehearts were able to manufacture a run in the eighth frame when AJ Guindon drew a walk with the bases loaded to score Antonio Morales. Through the ninth and tenth the teams went tied, and in the home run derby pitcher Dylan Vigue, who had earlier in the game pitched three no-hit innings and struck out four Nashua batters, launched five home runs to give Worcester the win.
JT Raab started the game and went four innings, allowing just two hits and a run while striking out six, before being relieved by Vigue. E.J. Nevills, Dennis Colleran, and Axel Johnson all followed with hitless innings and they each fanned one batter. Vigue was named the FCBL’s “Player of the Night”, and it appears that he is the first Bravehearts pitcher to win that award.
Highlights/Interviews
Wednesday it west to Bullens Field for WooBall as they took on the Westfield Starfires, and things were going well until the eighth inning when Westfield put up four runs to eventually defeat the Bravehearts 7-5. The Starfires had a 2-0 lead after three, but Worcester came roaring back with three in the fourth on a Michael Florides RBI single and a Greg Gorman sacrifice fly. Their middle run in the frame came on an infield error.
In the fifth, the Bravehearts scored on a double play ball to make it 4-2, but Westfield would put up a run in the sixth and four in the eighth to make it 7-4. A Gorman solo home run to lead off the ninth would make it the 7-5 final.
Pittsfield was the visitor to Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field Thursday for a doubleheader and Worcester made the most of the opportunity for multiple victories as they swept the Suns in the twin bill, winning the opener 9-3 and then following that up with 7-3 victory in game two.
The opener saw Pittsfield jump out to an early 1-0 lead, but Daniel Bucciero put WooBall in the lead in the third with a two-run single. In the fourth Worcester exploded for five runs, starting with an Antonio Morales bases-loaded single. Tyler Bastunas‘ sac fly added a second run, and a wild pitch added a third. Matty Warren then launched a home run to almost dead center to cap the scoring in the frame.
The teams would then each score two runs in the fifth, all on wild pitches, for the 9-3 final.
Highlights/Interviews
In the nightcap once again the Suns would get on the board first, and again the Bravehearts would erase that lead in the third. A Kobe Stenson RBI single made it 3-1, and then a throwing error on the play scored another run. Stensen then scored on a passed ball to make it 3-3.
WooBall then put the game out of reach with four runs in the fourth, with Michael Florides‘ RBI single breaking the tie, Stenson’s two-run single giving them the lead, and Stensen scoring on a passed ball for the 7-3 final.
Robbie O’Connor and Griffin O’Connor–not related–combined for four shutout innings in relief. Robbie got the win, while Griffin struck out five in two innings. For his 3-3 night with 3 RBI, Stenson was named the FCBL “Player of the Night”.
It was off to New Britain Stadium Friday for the Bravehearts as they took on the Bees, and while their rivals from central Connecticut owned the early innings it was Worcester who claimed the late ones and a 7-5 win. After falling behind 4-0 in the second WooBall cut into that lead in the fourth on RBI singles by Matty Warren, Stan Zagrodnik, and Kobe Stenson.
In the seventh, now down 5-3, Tyler Bastunas cut the deficit to one run again with an RBI single of his own. In the eighth a bases-loaded double by Stenson gave Worcester the lead, and after an intentional walk to Bastunas Jack Thorbahn walked to force in another run. In the bottom of the frame, Dennis Colleran entered the game and slammed the door on any potential New Britain comeback to earn his third save of the campaign. Champ Davis earned the win in two innings of relief.
Saturday night’s game in Vermont was rained out, so Sunday it was a doubleheader against the Lake Monsters at Centennial Field. The opener was a classic pitcher’s duel, with WooBall coming out ahead 1-0 on a second-inning sacrifice fly by Michael Florides. Dylan Vigue earned the win, while Griffin O’Connor grabbed the save. Game two was an ugly 17-0 loss, and we’ll leave it at that.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: Dylan Vigue is this week’s winner, going 8.2 innings in two outings, earning a win and not allowing a run. He struck out nine batters and allowed just three hits.
Batter: Kobe Stenson gets the nod this week, going 6-15 with a double and six RBI. He also walked twice and scored two runs.
This week’s opponents
Monday off day
Tuesday vs New Britain, 6:30pm
Wednesday vs Brockton, doubleheader, 4pm
Thursday at Westfield, 6:30pm
Friday vs Westfield, 6:30pm
Saturday vs Brockton, 6:30pm
Sunday at Nashua, 3pm
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Tuesday
@Pittsfield 6, Vermont 1 (game 1; 7 innings)
@Pittsfield 4, Vermont 1 (game 2, 7 innings)
@Norwich 6, Westfield 1
Brockton 6, @New Britain 4
Wednesday
@Nashua 8, New Britain 2 (continuation of suspended game)
New Britain 6, @Nashua 4 (7 innings)
@Norwich 12, Brockton 2 (7 innings, mercy)
Vermont 9, @Pittsfield 5
Thursday
New Britain 7, @Norwich 4
Vermont 8, @Nashua 2
Westfield 6, @Brockton 4
Friday
Norwich 5, @Nashua 2
@Brockton 19, Westfield 1 (7 innings, mercy)
@Vermont 12, Pittsfield 2 (7 innings, mercy)
Saturday
@New Britain 9, Brockton 0
Nashua @ Westfield; ppd, rain
Norwich @ Pittsfield; ppd, rain
Sunday
New Britain 8, @Brockton 6
@Pittsfield 7, Westfield 2
Norwich 4, @Nashua 2
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl and on Twitter
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