Bravehearts

Worcester, MA – After dropping three of their last four games, the Worcester Bravehearts got back on track with a 10-6 victory over the North Shore Navigators Sunday afternoon at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field.

The Bravehearts’ bats were the story of the game, as Worcester’s offense scored 10 runs on 13 hits.  

Worcester took an early lead in the bottom of the second. A miscommunication between Navigators outfielders allowed Ben McNeill to reach first. A triple by Tyler Becker would bring McNeill all the way home. Riley Livingston promptly scored Becker with a single up the middle, giving the Bravehearts a 2-0 lead.

The Bravehearts kept the scoring going in the next inning. A one-out single by Mack Cheli was followed up by a Paul Coumoulos single. McNeill would keep his production going with a double that scored Cheli. Becker also drove in another run, as Coumoulos would come home when Becker grounded out, putting the Bravehearts up 4-0.

The biggest offensive push, however, came in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Worcester loaded the bases on an Idelson Tavaras single, a Mariano Ricciardi hit-by-pitch, and an infield hit for John Thrasher, Cheli brought Tavaras home on a single. Another single by Coumoulos would score Ricciardi. McNeill walked to force in a run, and Cheli would score on a sacrifice fly by Becker. When the inning was said and done, Worcester had an 8-0 lead.

PJ Barry doubled home two more runs in the bottom of the seventh for Worcester to make it 10-3.

North Shore closed the deficit in the top of the seventh inning, scoring three times. Another three runs in the top of the ninth cut the lead to four but would get no closer as Bryce Hellgeth picked up an adventurous save for the Bravehearts.

Getting the win for Worcester was starting pitcher Eric Chavarria, who threw six scoreless innings of one-hit baseball while striking out six. Gavin Sullivan took the loss for North Shore, going three and two-thirds innings while giving up eight runs on 11 hits while striking out only one.

The Bravehearts play on the road Monday against Westfield before returning home Tuesday versus Bristol.