Bravehearts

Worcester, MA– Friday night marked a third straight loss for the Worcester Bravehearts, as they fell to the Nashua Silver Knights in a hotly contested battle 17-16.

Worcester took an early lead in the bottom of the first when they scored twice. The Bravehearts extended their lead in the second to make it 5-0, buoyed by a Ben Rice two-run home run.

Nashua would turn the tables on Worcester quickly, however. In the top of the fourth inning, the Silver Knights scored seven runs to take the lead, then proceeded to score another run in the fifth, seven more in the sixth, and a run apiece in the seventh and eighth innings to push their lead to 17-10.

But the Bravehearts came storming back in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring six runs to cut Nashua’s lead down to only one run. Tyler Becker drove in two runs with a triple and scored when Trevor Johnson singled him home. A passed ball scored Johnson after he advanced to third on a John Thrasher single, and Thrasher scored thanks to a Jake Sessa single. Finally, Sessa scored on a Mack Cheli sacrifice fly, making the score 17-16.

In the bottom of the ninth, Ben McNeill led off with a walk, but two strikeouts and a lineout preserved the victory for Nashua.

Bravehearts starter Evan Moore took the loss for Worcester, while Gary Farnham picked up the win for the Silver Knights. Getting a save for Nashua was Jack Pawloski.

The Bravehearts fall below .500 with the loss, their record now 22-23. Nashua moves up to 23-24.

Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field set a new attendance record Friday night, bringing 5,554 fans to see the Bravehearts in action, beating the record set this season on Baseball in Education Day by nearly 500.

Worcester heads to Westfield Saturday for a doubleheader against the Starfires before coming back to Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field on Sunday for another doubleheader against the Pittsfield Suns.