The Worcester Bravehearts kicked off their Futures Collegiate Baseball League post-All-Star Game schedule Thursday with a pair of Camp Day games against the Nashua Silver Knights at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field. Game one, which began at 10:30am, was all WooBall as they defeated the defending FCBL champions 10-0 in a mercy-shortened five innings.
Tyler Bastunas got things started in the bottom of the first with a three-run homer, and in the third Kevin Matos did the exact same thing. In the fourth Michael Florides tripled in two runs, and in the fifth, a Jack Thorbahn sacrifice fly and a Vincent Eramo RBI double made it a ten-run lead and that ended the game.
Randy Guzman and Robbie O’Connor combined for the shutout.
Highlights/Interviews
The second game, with Nashua playing as the home team at the HIP, was all Silver Knights as Worcester lost 9-1. WooBall’s run was scored on an RBI single by Tyler Bastunas, who was named the FCBL’s “Player of the Night”.
Saturday it was off to Wahconah Park in Pittsfield where the Bravehearts took on the Suns, and Worcester came out of the gates quickly and cruised to a 9-5 victory. Griffin O’Connor earned the win going 5.1 innings in relief, allowing just two hits while striking out seven and was named the FCVBL’s “Pitcher of the Night”.
A Daniel Bucciero RBI single in the top of the first opened the scoring, and then in the third inning WooBall put up a five-spot to break the game open. Matty Warren‘s single started the frame, and he scored on AJ Guindon‘s double. Two batters later Jack Thorbahn singled home Guindon. After another Bucciero single Kevin Matos cleared the bases with a two-run double. Matos would then score on an infield out.
In the fourth Bucciero’s third single in as many at-bats would score two more runs, and Matos’s ninth frame RBI single capped the scoring for the Bravehearts.
Saturday night’s storms wiped out all of the FCBL schedule, and on Sunday Brockton visited the HIP where WooBall put up five runs in two consecutive innings to beat the Rox 13-3 in a seven-inning mercy-shortened contest.
After Brockton scored in the top of the second the Bravehearts put up a five-spot in the home half, starting with a Marc Willi RBI single. Two batters later Andrew Chronister laced a single to right to score two more and then would score on an outfield error. AJ Guindon‘s RBI single capped the scoring in the frame.
The same thing happened in the third, with the Rox scoring and Worcester following up with five runs in their half of the inning. Willi once again started the scoring, this time with a bases-loaded walk. Three batters later the smallest Bravehearts player, Matty Warren, crushed a triple to the deepest part of the HIP in right field, scoring three runs for WooBall. He would then score on a wild pitch.
In the fifth, a Rox infield error scores two more Worcester runs, and Daniel Bucciero followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 13 runs for WooBall. JT Raab earned the win, and James Borsari just missed an immaculate inning in his Bravehearts debut, throwing nine of ten pitches for strikes to punch out the side.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: Griffin O’Connor is a repeat winner this week, going 5.1 innings to earn a win while striking out 7 and allowing just 1 run.
Batter: Matty Warren gets the nod this week, going 6-13 with 3 doubles and 3 RBI. He scored 7 runs and walked 3 times.
This week’s opponents
Monday off day
Tuesday vs Norwich, 6:30pm
Wednesday at Brockton, 6:30pm
Thursday at Vermont, 7pm
Friday at Vermont, 6:30pm
Saturday vs Vermont, doubleheader, 4pm
Sunday at Pittsfield, 4pm
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Thursday
@Brockton 7, Vermont 4; game 1, 7 innings
Vermont @ Brockton, game 2, canceled, rain
@Pittsfield 6, New Britain 3; game 1, 7 innings
@Pittsfield 6, New Britain 4; game 2, 7 innings
Norwich 3, @Westfield 0; suspended B2 due to lighting
Friday
@Nashua 22, Westfield 2; 7 innings, mercy
@Brockton 8, Vermont 6
@New Britain 6, Norwich 5
Saturday
Nashua @ Vermont; pdd, rain
Brockton @ Westfield; ppd, rain
New Britain @ Norwich; susp, rain
Sunday
@Vermont 2, Nashua 1; game 1, 7 innings
@Vermont 10, Nashua 0; game 2, 6 innings, mercy
@Norwich 2, New Britain 1; completion of suspended game
New Britain 9, @Norwich 5; 7 innings
@Westfield 11, Pittsfield 7
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl and @210Sports on Twitter.
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