Worcester and Norwich combined for 29 hits; Sea Unicorns once led 8-1
A wild, high-scoring affair featuring 29 runs and 29 hits finished in a 16-13 Worcester Bravehearts victory over the Norwich Sea Unicorns at Fitton Field Wednesday. Norwich led 8-1 in the third inning, and drilled four home runs for the game, but Worcester’s 15 runs over its final four innings at the plate sealed the comeback win.
Although Worcester scored first, Norwich was in command at the end of the 3rd inning, thanks to a six-run 2nd inning — highlighted by Alex Irizarry’s three-run homer — and Ryan Grace’s two-run shot in the 3rd. Entering the bottom of the 5th, the Bravehearts trailed 8-1, but launched one of the game’s longest rallies.
Worcester chased Norwich starter Timothy Lewis after he loaded the bases with nobody out, then Bravehearts outfielder Owen Pincince (New Haven) drilled a two-run double to right and CJ Egrie (Holy Cross) scored on a wild pitch. Three batters later, with the bases loaded again, Wyatt Hoffman (Rowan) hammered a bases-clearing double to right-center, drawing Worcester within a run, 8-7. Still, a strikeout kept the Sea Unicorns in front headed to the 6th.
In the top of the 6th, Norwich extended the lead again, jumping ahead by four runs after a sacrifice fly and another two-run homer. Worcester trimmed the deficit to three runs in the bottom half, when Egrie stole third and scored on the catcher’s throwing error.
In the 7th, Norwich opened up a five-run advantage when Nick Sturino clocked a deep home run to right field, drawing ire of the Bravehearts as he launched his bat into the air and danced around the bases. Sturino was removed from the Norwich lineup following the home run. Worcester responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half, closing the gap to three runs when Charlton’s Joey Rubin (Alabama) drew a bases loaded walk and Michael Brown (Hofstra) scored on a wild pitch.
In the top of the 8th, Aidan Greene (AIC) fired the first 1-2-3 inning for the ’Hearts since the 1st inning, then Worcester scored six runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Carter Hanson (Wofford) blooped a single that scored Nolan DeAndrade (Franklin Pierce), then Brown looped an RBI single to make it a one-run lead. On the very next pitch, Egrie smashed a ground-rule double over the left field wall, tying the game at 13-13, before Norwich called in a new pitcher. With Jimmy Mulvaney on the mound, Rubin greeted him with a go-ahead two run single past the drawn-in infield. Worcester extended its lead to three on a DeAndrade sacrifice fly, then Joe Curreri (Hoftsra) worked a 1-2-3 top of the 9th to nail down a bizarre win for the ’Hearts.
Worcester (12-9) faces Nashua (8-12) Thursday. First pitch at Fitton Field is set for 6:30 p.m.
Comments