Bravehearts

Worcester, MA – After a powerful rainstorm moved through Worcester in the third inning, Brockton responded with an eight-run fourth inning to give the Rox plenty of breathing room en route to a 12-6 win in the FCBL semifinals.

The win for Brockton ties the series at one game apiece. The do-or-die Game Three is tomorrow night at Brockton. The winner is set to face the winner of North Shore and Bristol in the championship series. Game Three of that series was not final before this writing.

The Bravehearts took a 2-1 lead on a Ben Rice two-run home run in the bottom of the first, but Brockton jumped on Worcester starter Cole Chudoba, who was lifted prior to the rain delay in the third inning. The right hander lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing a run in the first and three more in the third before being pulled. Jakob Barker replaced Chudoba, but he never actually threw a pitch as the rain started to fall.

Evan Moore took over after the delay and recorded the final out of the third inning, but the Rox got to him in the fourth. A walk and two singles loaded the bases. Back-to-back walks and a JP Knight double brought in four runs and chased Moore from the game. Two doubles, a single, and a walk brought in four more runs off of Jack Moynihan. Two of those runs were charged to Moore.

The Bravehearts did respond with two runs in the home half of the inning on a Chris Rinaldi RBI-single and a Mack Cheli RBI-double to make it a 12-4 game. Worcester made it a 12-6 game on a John Thrasher two-run shot later in the game, but Worcester would get no closer.

Rice and Thrasher each finished with three hits for Worcester. BJ Murray and Gaby Cruz each had three hits for the Rox, and Andrew Marra led the way with three RBI. Brockton had 15 hits as a team.

Joe Nemchek and Alex Rosario fired five scoreless innings of relief to close out the game for Worcester. The Bravehearts chased Brockton starter Nick Sinacola after just four innings and four runs, but the deficit was too much to overcome.

Before the game, Sinacola was honored alongside Worcester pitcher Angelo Baez with FCBL season awards. Sinacola received his trophy for Top Pitching Prospect, and Baez was recognized as the Pitcher of the Year.