The Worcester Bravehearts started their 2024 Futures League season Friday morning with a trip out west to take on Westfield at Bullens Field, and WooBall made quick work of the Starfires with a 10-0 mercy-shortened seven-inning game that took just over two hours to complete.
After a scoreless opening frame, Hank Penders RBI single in the top of the second opened the scoring. Tyler McCord added another RBI single of his own in the frame, and Max LeFrancois followed with a sacrifice fly to score a third, with Aidan Lackey also scoring on the play on a Westfield error.
Worcester blew it open in the third with six runs, with Matt Milone singling in the first run. Two batters later Owen Pincince scored a run, and Lackey added a single that would result in a run scored on a Starfires outfield miscue. Tyler McCord then launched a three-run homer to cap the scoring. McCord was named the FCBL “Player of the Night”.
Brandon Stanley earned the win with five innings of shutout ball, and Josh Fischer and Keegan Antelman each followed with hitless innings of relief.
Highlights/Interviews
The rematch was Saturday night at Fitton Field, and after falling behind early the Bravehearts came storming back to take a lead, only to stumble at the end to lose their home opener 11-6 to the Starfires. After allowing two unearned runs in the top of the first Worcester would come back to tie it in the fourth on an Owen Pincince RBI double. Cody Smith‘s single then scored Pincince.
It was 4-2 Westfield after five and a half frames when WooBall grabbed their first lead of the game with a fur run sixth inning. Another Smith single scored Pincince again, Tyler McCord followed with a two-run single, and the Bravehearts added a run on an infield out. That would be all the scoring for the Bravehearts, but unfortunately, Westfield wasn’t done as they added seven runs over the final three innings for the win.
Worcester Academy’s Mavrick Rizy, who is headed to LSU in the fall, got the start for WooBall, striking out nine in four innings while allowing just two hits, and was named the FCBL “Pitcher of the Night”.
Highlights/Interviews
Sunday it was down to Dodd Stadium in Norwich for Worcester in a match-up against the Sea Unicorns, and some shaky defense led to two Norwich unearned runs and that was all the home team would need as WooBall headed back to the city after losing 3-1. Kevin Matos‘s fourth-inning sacrifice fly was the Bravehearts’ lone RBI. Nik Pavia was the hard-luck loser, allowing just four hits over six innings.
210Sports’ Bravehearts of the week
Pitcher: Nik Pavia is this week’s winner, allowing just four hits over six innings while striking out 4.
Batter: Matt Milone gets the nod on the short week, going 5-8 with a double and an RBI in two games.
This week’s opponents
Monday off
Tuesday vs Road Warriors, 10:30am
Wednesday at Brockton, 6:30pm
Thursday vs New Britain, 6:30pm
Friday vs Nashua, 6:30pm
Saturday off
Sunday vs New Britain, 4pm
Tickets to Bravehearts home games can be purchased online or by calling (508) 438-3773.
Around the FCBL
Friday
Norwich 10, @ New Britain 5
Vermont 5, @ Nashua 4
Saturday
New Britain 4, @ Nashua 1
Road Warriors 4, @ Norwich 3
@ Vermont 4, Brockton 3
Sunday
@ Nashua 8, New Britian 7; 10 innings
@ Vermont 5, Brockton 2
For frequent updates on the Worcester Bravehearts follow @210Darryl and @210Sports on Twitter.
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