Bravehearts

Freilich Tosses Gem, ‘Hearts Roll

 

Oak Bluffs, MA – After dropping a 14-7 contest to the North Shore Navigators in Worcester on Saturday, the Worcester Bravehearts got back in the win column with a 9-5 victory over the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks behind a strong pitching performance from Penn State’s Jared Freilich and a steady offensive attack. With the win, Worcester improves to 18-14 on the season.

 

The Bravehearts got the scoring started early, as Eddie Haus (St. Mary’s) pushed across Chris Rinaldi (Holy Cross), who doubled earlier, with an RBI-single in the top of the first. After a scoreless second inning, Worcester would push across three runs in the third, as Dustin Harris (St. Petersburg) doubled to score SUNY-Oswego’s Michael Dellicarri, who singled, and Mack Cheli (Chapman) doubled to knock in both Haus and Harris. 

 

After throwing five scoreless innings, Freilich found himself in a bit of trouble in the bottom of the sixth. A walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases with no outs for the Sharks, but Freilich was able to escape with the lead, surrendering two runs, as a Kellen Hatheway ground out plated a run before a wild pitch allowed Collin Shapiro to score from third. Matt Chamberlain was thrown out at home trying to advance on the wild pitch to end the inning. Freilich finished with a line of two earned runs on four hits and walk over six innings of work, picking up five strikeouts and the win in the process. 

 

Worcester would answer the Sharks’ two run-inning with a four run-inning of its own in the top of the seventh. Rinaldi hit a leadoff single before advancing on a stolen base and scoring on a single off the bat of Haus. Cheli would draw a two-out walk to give the Bravehearts runners on first and second for Stetson’s Kirk Sidwell. Sidwell would follow the walk by hitting a three-run shot to left field, giving Worcester an 8-2 lead. The Bravehearts would score their final run in the top of the ninth, as Cheli would double and advance to third on a Sidwell single before scoring on a single off the bat of Gozzo.

 

U-Mass Lowell’s Kendall Pomeroy worked a perfect seventh in relief of Freilich, retiring all three batters he faced. SUNY- Albany’s Brenden Cournoyer finished the game off, pitching the eighth and the ninth, surrendering three runs on four hits, two of which were solo homeruns in the bottom of the ninth, and a walk.

 

The Bravehearts are back in action on Tuesday, July 10 against the Brockton Rox in Brockton at 6:30 PM. They return to Worcester on Wednesday for a 10:30 AM contest against the Pittsfield Suns