Bravehearts

Bristol, CT-  The Worcester Bravehearts took game two of the FCBL Championship series and swept the Bristol Blues with a 12-2 victory Sunday afternoon to be crowned 2019 FCBL Champions.  

It was the Bravehearts who jumped on the Blues early. Nick Martin walked and Mariano Ricciardi singled to begin the game. John Thrasher ripped a double down the left field line to score Martin and plate the first run of the game. Ben Rice grounded out to second which scored Ricciardi to put Worcester up 2-0. 

Bristol answered in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own. Austin White singled and proceeded to steal second base.  An error at first by Mack Cheli off the bat of Brandon Miller allowed White to score and cut the lead to 2-1. 

Martin walked to lead off the third inning and advanced to third on an error by the second basemen Kyle Maves. A passed ball allowed Martin to score and increase the lead to 3-1. Bristol answered in the bottom of the inning. Miller singled and proceeded to steal second before being hit in by Dylan Reynolds, making the score 3-2.

In the top of the fourth inning, Angelo Baez was called for a balk which led to a mound visit by Bravehearts pitching coach Tyler Kelly. After the visit, Baez had some words with the home plate umpire which brought Kelly back out. After a lengthy discussion by both the umpires and the league commissioner, it was ruled Baez must be taken out of the game. He was replaced by Jack Moynihan. The righty went 2.1 innings giving up only one hit and keeping the Blues scoreless. 

The Bravehearts had their signature inning in the sixth. Rice walked to lead off the inning and Cheli was hit by a pitch. A Riley Livingston single loaded the bases and Tyler Becker brought home Rice with a single. Trevor Johnson was hit by a pitch to bring in Cheli, and Mariano Ricciardi hit a single up the middle to score Livingston and Becker and bring the lead to 7-2. Thrasher capped off the inning with a single to score Johnson bringing the game to 8-2. 

The scoring continued for Worcester in the eighth inning. Back-to-back doubles by Johnson and Martin increased the lead to 9-2. John Thrasher was hit by a pitch to put two on and one out for Rice. The designated hitter Rice blasted a three run home run to right field to increase the lead to 12-2. 

McCabe Sargeant shut the door for Worcester in the ninth. The righty got Brandon Miller to ground out to Ricciardi at second to end the game.

With the win, Worcester takes home their fourth championship in six seasons. We would like to thank everyone for an amazing season and their continued coverage of the Worcester Bravehearts.