Bravehearts

Bravehearts Score High to Beat Westfield in Hit-Fest

Worcester’s win comes 13-3 by mercy rule against the Starfires

Worcester, MA – The Worcester Bravehearts defeated the Westfield Starfires 13-3 on Friday evening. The win was ruled by mercy rule in the seventh inning, per Futures’ League guidelines.

The win makes Worcester’s overall record 21-9, while Westfield’s record drops to 14-17. The Bravehearts remain in second place in the league’s standings.

The Starfires put themselves on the board in the first inning when Luke Yuhasz (Univ. of Louisiana) singled and brought Ryan Molinari (Milligan) home. Worcester soon tied with Westfield in the bottom of the first, when AJ Guindon (Wheaton) scored on a single by Jack Thorbahn (Northeastern).

Worcester then earned a six-run lead in the third inning, breaking the tie when Antonio Morales (Wake Forest) scored on a single hit by Matty Warren (Palm Beach Atlantic). This was followed with two more runs by the Bravehearts, succeeded by a homerun hit from Kobe Stenson’s (Siena) bat, which brought in three additional runs. This made the score 7-1.

Westfield briefly threatened in the sixth, when a series of hits off the Bravehearts’ Nick Choate (Anna Maria) led to a bases loaded situation on no outs. Westfield tacked on a run when JD Jones (Univ. of Miami) scored on a wild pitch, but ultimately the Bravehearts ended the inning without letting up any additional runs, keeping their lead.

Worcester added insurance in the bottom of the sixth, when an additional six runs were scored in a series of hits, walks, and wild pitches; making the lead 13-2.

Westfield tacked on one last run in the top of the seventh, when Nick Serce (Alfred State) hit a homerun over the right-field fence. However, this proved to not be enough to break the 10-run lead, resulting in a Bravehearts win by mercy rule in the seventh.

Worcester starter Clay Robbins (Southern Maine) took the win, pitching five innings, letting up five hits and one run. The loss went to Westfield’s Ryan Donahue (Westfield State), who let up five hits and seven runs in just over two innings pitched.

The Bravehearts will face the Brockton Rox on Saturday at Fitton Field in a double header. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.