The Worcester Bravehearts began their final regular season week of the 2023 campaign Tuesday with a game at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field with a game against the Norwich Sea Unicorns, and the less said the better as WooBall recorded only three hits 10-0 mercy-shortened loss.
Highlights/Interviews
It was off to Campanelli Stadium in Brockton on Wednesday for a pair against the Rox, and WooBall’s batting woes continued as they managed just two hits in a 1-0 loss in the opener. Starter Clay Robbins pitched well for Worcester, allowing just three hits and striking out 8 in five innings.
In game two the Bravehearts’ bat finally found some life again as they mashed out 14 hits in a 7-4 victory. A Jack Thorbahn RBI single and Marc Willi RBI double got WooBall on the board in the top of the first. In the top of the third RBI singles by Willi and Vincent Eramo and a run on a double play ball made it 5-0 Worcester.
In the fourth Thorbahn laced another RBI single, and in the sixth a Tyler Bastunas RBI hit made it seven runs for WooBall. Zach Brassill earned the win in his Bravehearts debut, with Axel Johnson picking up his fourth save.
On Thursday the Bravehearts visited Vermont for a NESN showdown with the Lake Monsters and it was all WooBall as Ray McNaught and E.J. Nevills combined for a four-hit 4-0 shutout victory. Nevills struck out seven in seven innings of relief.
Michael Florides‘ RBI double in the second opened the scoring, and in the fourth Stan Zagrodnik crushed a three-run homer for what would eventually be the 4-0 final.
Highlights/Interviews
Friday it was at the Lake Monsters again for WooBall, and in a game that featured just under two hours of various delays, Worcester found itself on the losing end of a 5-4 final in a game that ended over five hours after its scheduled start time. Jack Thorbahn opened the scoring with a first-inning RBI single and in the second a Matty Warren single plated two more runs.
At the end of seven frames Vermont had a 4-3 lead, but newcomer Nathan Samii knotted the score with a home run. Unfortunately, the Lake Monster would score in the bottom of the ninth to walk off.
It was back to the HIP on Saturday as WooBall and Vermont once again took the field, finishing off a suspended game before playing a seven-inning contest. The Braveheart probably wished the suspended game was just forgotten about as they ended up losing 4-2. Down 4-0 on the fifth WooBall managed to scrape together two unearned runs to make it 4-2, but that was all the scoring.
The nightcap was much better, with WooBall jumping out to a quick lead and holding on for a 4-3 win, a franchise-record 38th on the season. A Kevin Matos two-run single in the first opened the scoring, and a second-frame RBI triple from Tyler Bastunas made it 3-0.
After a couple of Lake Monster runs in the third a fifth inning Daniel Bucciero run-scoring double made it 4-2. Vermont would get one in the top of the ninth for the 4-3 final. James Borsari earned the win in relief, with Jack Beauchesne picking up the save in his Worcester debut.
Highlights/Interviews
Sunday’s WooBall regular season finale was at Wahconah Park against the Pittsfield Suns, and with their 4-3 victory the Bravehearts finished with 39 wins, tying the Norwich Sea Unicorns for most in the FCBL, but because neither the Sea Unicorns nor second seed Vermont could make up all their postponed games both ending up with a higher winning percentage than Worcester, who ended up as the three seed.
The Bravehearts took an early lead when Vincent Eramo scored on an infield out in the second inning, and then Eramo had an RBI single in the third to make it 2-0. Down 3-2 in the fifth Jack Thorbahn laced a single to right to make it 4-3, and four WooBall pitchers held that lead, with Tade Riordan eventually picking up the save.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: E.J. Nevills gets the nod this week, going seven shutout innings in relief, earning a win while striking out seven.
Batter: Vincent Eramo is this week’s winner, going 4-10 with a double and two RBI. He also walked twice and scored twice.
This week’s opponents
Monday off day
Tuesday at Vermont, 6:35
Wednesday vs Vermont, 7pm
Thursday at Vermont, 6:30pm (if necessary)
Friday TBD
Saturday TBD
Sunday TBD
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Monday
Nashua 13, @Pittsfield 0; completion of suspended game, 5 innings, mercy
@Pittsfield 8, Nashua 7; game 1, 8 innings
@Pittsfield 5, Nashua 4; game 2, 7 innings
Tuesday
@Pittsfield 11, Brockton 9; game 1, 7 innings
@Pittsfield 7, Brockton 0; forfeit
@Westfield 6, New Britain 3
Nashua 8, @Vermont 4
Wednesday
@Norwich 11, Westfield 4; completion of suspended game
@Norwich 4, Westfield 0; 7 innings
Vermont 6, @Nashua 3
@New Britain 6, Pittsfield 4
Thursday
@New Britain 3, Nashua 1; game 1, 7 innings
@New Britain 11, Nashua 7; game 2, 7 innings
@Norwich 9, Brockton 1
@Westfield 7, Pittsfield 1
Friday
@Westfield 2, Pittsfield 1; game 1, 7 innings
Pittsfield 5, @Westfield 4; game 2, 7 innings
@Nashua 16, Brockton 1; 7 innings, mercy
@New Britain 1, Norwich 0
Saturday
@Westfield 9, Brockton 3
@Norwich 2, Nashua 0
New Britain 12, @Pittsfield 9
Sunday
@Brockton 12, New Britain 7
Vermont 9, @Nashua 7
Norwich 7, @Westfield 5; game 1, 7 innings
Norwich 3, @Westfield 1; game 2, 7 innings
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl and @210Sports on Twitter.
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