Bravehearts Split Doubleheader with Road Warriors

Worcester Dominates Game 1, Falls Behind Late in Game 2

The Worcester Bravehearts topped the Futures League Road Warriors 7-2 in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Fitton Field Wednesday. The Road Warriors captured their fourth win of the FCBL season with a 5-4 victory in Game 2.

In the first game, Worcester jumped ahead for good with a five-run 4th inning. After Franklin’s Henry DiGiorgio (Northeastern) singled on a ground ball to first base to plate two runs, Dylan LaPointe (FAU) drew a bases-loaded walk and Matt Milone (SUNY Maritime) grounded a two-run hit into left. 

On the mound, Worcester got three scoreless innings from Shewsbury’s Ben Griffith (Binghamton). Across his three frames, the right-hander surrendered one hit and two walks while striking out six hitters. 

After the Road Warriors struck for two runs in the top of the 5th, Worcester responded with two of its own in the bottom half, re-taking a five-run lead after Owen Pincince (New Haven) grounded an RBI single to third and DiGiorgio trotted home on a bases-loaded balk.

In relief of Griffith, Leominster’s Angel Baez (Southern New Hampshire), Hopkinton’s Josh Fischer (Wheaton), and Nick Coniglio (Northeastern) each made scoreless appearances and the Bravehearts nailed down a fourth win in a five-game span.

In Game 2, Worcester held a 4-1 lead in the 4th inning, thanks to a Jackson Marshall (Southern New Hampshire) two-RBI double in the 1st, a run-scoring wild pitch in the 2nd, and Milone’s run-scoring single in the 4th. Meanwhile, Worcester natives Jake LeFrancois (UMass-Lowell) and Gavin Price (Chipola) combined for four innings pitched and a single run allowed.

In the late innings, however, the Road Warriors rallied, tying the game in the 5th inning after a wild pitch plated a run and  Jack Byrne drove in two more with a single. Then they took the lead for good in the 6th when Brett Baker came home on a passed ball. The doubleheader split puts the ’Hearts at 3-3 against the Road Warriors in 2024.

Worcester hits the road for Independence Day Weekend, traveling to Brockton Thursday for the first of a two-game series at Campanelli Stadium. First pitch on the 4th of July is set for 6:30 p.m.