Milone, Coniglio Lead Bravehearts to Win Over 1st-Place Starfires

SUNY Maritime OF Clubs Grand Slam, Northeastern Right-Hander Fires Perfect 32/3 in Relief

Matt Milone (SUNY Maritime) clubbed a grand slam and Nick Coniglio (Northeastern) closed the game with 32/3 perfect innings, lifting the Worcester Bravehearts to a 6-4 win over the Westfield Starfires at Fitton Field Friday. With the win, fourth-place Worcester (21-18) snaps a three-game losing streak and keeps pace in the Futures Collegiate Baseball playoff race.

Friday’s game, in front of a crowd of more than 2,200 spectators on Hockey Night at Fitton Field, began as a pitcher’s duel. ’Hearts right-handers Noah McMahon (Wofford) and Joe Mulhern (Taunton, Wheaton) teamed up to hold Westfield to a single hit across the first three innings. For Westfield, right-hander Chris Suter retired the first eight batters he faced.

Worcester broke through with two outs in the 3rd inning, when Franklin’s Henry DiGiorgio (Northeastern) drilled a single to center field. Shea Grady (Bryant) followed with another single, then Max D’Alessandro (Rowan) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Bravehearts jumped ahead when Dylan LaPointe (FAU) drew a bases loaded walk to make it 1-0.

Next was Milone, who, after swinging through a first-pitch breaking ball from Suter, hammered an 0-1 curveball over the left-center field fence, extending the Worcester lead to 5-0. The grand slam — Milone’s third of the season — brought his RBI total to a league-best 26.

Mulhern departed the game with two outs in the 4th, having tossed 22/3 scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts. Carson Walsh (Northeastern) entered to record the last out of the inning, but surrendered a run in the 5th and three more in the 6th, capped by an Aidan Redahan two-run home run that cut the Worcester lead to 5-4. Coniglio came on for the last two outs.

Worcester expanded its lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the 6th when Milone singled, then scored when Kevin Matos grounded a two-out single up the middle. From there, Coniglio, with the help of a diving catch by D’Alessandro in left field, held Westfield off the bases for the final three innings, shutting the door by getting Jayden Novak to fly out.

Worcester (21-18, 4th place) meets Westfield again for a doubleheader at Fitton Field Saturday. Game 1 — the resumption of the suspended June 26 contest — begins at 5:30. Game 2 starts 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.