WEYMOUTH, Mass – The Worcester Bravehearts opened their season Thursday night against the Nashua Silver Knights on their own turf at Hanover Insurance park at Fitton Field in Worcester, Mass. The Bravehearts started strong and never looked back as four different pitchers combined for a no-hitter on their way to a 5-2 victory.
It all started with Springfield College’s Shawn Babineau as he threw five perfect innings, striking out seven. He then came out for the sixth inning and kept the team’s no hitter alive, adding on another strikeout, although letting up one walk to end the perfect game.
Meanwhile, the Bravehearts’ offense did their job as well, putting up two runs in the second inning on a two-run double by Jakob Sessa, and three runs in the third inning on both an RBI single by Aidan Wilde and a two-run error committed by the Silver Knights.
The Bravehearts did not score again in the game as four different Silver Knights pitchers combined to no-hit the last five and two-third innings of Bravehearts batters.
The no-hit trend continued in the seventh inning as the second pitcher for the Bravehearts, Ethan Teixeira, came in for Babineau, struck out a batter, and let up two walks before being substituted by Alex Rosario.
Rosario finished out the seventh and come back for the eighth inning where he loaded the bases by hitting a batter, walking a batter, and an error in the field. He then let up two runs on a dropped third strike and a pass ball before getting himself out of the jam. The no-hitter still in effect, but the score now 5-2 after eight innings of play.
The Bravehearts brought in Angelo Baez for the ninth inning to finish off the job. Baez got the first two batters to hit into outs and struck the final batter out to complete the no-hitter and the 5-2 victory for the Bravehearts. It is the first no-hitter in Worcester Bravehearts history.
There are three games scheduled for Friday evening as the Bravehearts will host another home game against the North Shore Navigators at 7:00 PM, the Bristol Blues head to Brockton, Mass. to take on the Brockton Rox at Campanelli Stadium at 6:30 PM, and the new expansion team, the Westfield Starfires, will host their first ever Futures League game against the Pittsfield Suns at 6:30 PM at Bullens Field in Westfield.
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