Bravehearts beat Silver Knights for fourth straight win

• Posted by Local sports (Sponsor: Worcester Bravehearts) June 21, 2024 - Filed in Sports - #Worcester Bravehearts  #Futures League  #Fitton Field  #Nashua Silver Knights  - 437 views

  
  Worcester Bravehearts (Facebook) 

  Win streak marks Worcester’s longest of the season

  WORCESTER — The Worcester Bravehearts never trailed Thursday en route to a fourth consecutive victory, shorted to 7 innings by rain, over the Nashua Silver Knights at Fitton Field. It is the longest streak of 2024 for the ’Hearts.

  The Bravehearts struck first, when 3 singles in the bottom of the first — by Shea Grady (Bryant), Holden’s Cody Smith (Assumption), and Owen Pincince (New Haven) — staked Worcester to a 1-0 lead.

  The ’Hearts expanded that lead to 3-0 3 innings later after Lawrence’s Kevin Matos (Wheaton) hammered a run-scoring base hit to right field and a Max LeFrancois (Assumption) ground ball plated another.

  In the top of the fifth inning, Acton’s Jordan Gottesman (Endicott), the Worcester starter, walked back-to-back Nashua hitters with 1 out after having retired 13 of the first 14 batters faced. A wild pitch and consecutive singles plated 3 Silver Knights to tie the score. Gottesman left the game after 4 2/3 innings, surrendering 3 earned runs on 3 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. John Connolly (Endicott) entered in relief to get the final out of the fifth.

  The game tied, Worcester responded quickly in the bottom half, answering with 3 runs. After Grady and Charlton’s Joey Rubin (Alabama) knocked no-out singles, Smith dropped a bunt in front of the mound. Grady scored when Nashua’s pitcher threw the ball away. Rubin raced home on a wild pitch, Dylan LaPointe (FAU) drove Smith home with a sacrifice fly, and Worcester re-gained its 3-run lead.

  In the seventh, Nashua cut the lead to 2 with an unearned run, but the Bravehearts padded that advantage, building their largest lead of the game when Pincince scored on an error and Timmy Wagner (Wheaton) on a wild pitch.

  Before the eighth inning began, home plate umpire Matt Ball huddled with managers Alex Dion (Worcester) and Kyle Jackson (Nashua). The game was called and, after 7 innings, was considered final.

  The Bravehearts (13-9) and Silver Knights (8-13) rematch Friday at Nashua’s Holman Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.