Bravehearts sweep doubleheader, keep pace in playoff race

  • Worcester enters Saturday’s meeting with New Britain 1 game back of Bees

    WORCESTER — The Worcester Bravehearts swept a doubleheader against the Brockton Rox Friday at Fitton Field. Worcester claimed a 5-3 victory in Game 1 before winning 9-2 in a rain-shortened Game 2.

    With the victories and New Britain’s loss at Nashua, Worcester climbs a game behind New Britain for the final Futures Playoff spot.

    Brockton struck first in Game 1, jumping ahead 1-0 when Brendan Sencaj grounded an RBI single to left field. Worcester responded with 3 third-inning runs, jumping ahead when Nolan DeAndrade (Franklin Pierce) scored on a wild pitch, Alejandro Soriano (Eastern Connecticut) laced a run-scoring single, and Dylan LaPointe (FAU) drove in a run with a double.

    After a second rain delay during the first game, Worcester extended its lead to 5-1, thanks to Ronan Donahue’s (Sacred Heart) dash home on a double steal in the fifth and Jackson Marshall’s (Southern New Hampshire) RBI base hit in the sixth.

    Brockton rallied in the seventh, drawing within 2 runs after a pair of RBI singles, but Worcester right-hander James Borsari (Merrimack) stranded the game-tying runs on first and second with a game-ending strikeout.

    Worcester was the first to score in Game 2, opening up a 2-0 lead when Donahue flew a first-inning 2-run double to left.

    Brockton evened the score at 2 in the third, but LaPointe immediately answered, re-staking his team to a 2-run lead with his fifth home run of the season.

    The Bravehearts doubled their advantage in the fourth when Henry DiGiorgio (Northeastern) came home on a Brockton throwing error and Marshall plated a run with an RBI single. The Bravehearts exploded for 5-straight hits in the sixth, taking a 9-2 lead before the game was ruled final due to rain.

    The Bravehearts enter Saturday’s matchup with New Britain a game back of the Bees for the final playoff spot. With a win, Worcester will pass New Britain and enter the season’s final day with a half-game hold on fourth place. First pitch between the Bees and Bravehearts is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Fitton Field.

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