By Sam Trumbley
(New Britain, Conn.) The New Britain Bees were defeated by the Worcester Bravehearts 12-4 on Thursday, July 10th. The Bees drop to 17-19 on the season, 2-4 against the top-seeded Bravehearts.
Ty Davis (Bryant/Bristol, CT) started on the mound for the Bees for the second time this season. He would give up three runs across two and two thirds innings, allowing three hits while walking two and striking out one. Fayz Baig (LIU/Marlborough, CT) entered in relief and allowed an RBI double, giving the Bravehearts a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning.
New Britain was held scoreless over the first five innings, with centerfielder David Pengel (Northeastern/Avon, CT) the only batter to record a hit in that time.
Two more would score against Baig in the top of the fourth, putting Worcester ahead 6-0. He ended up throwing three innings in relief, allowing four runs while walking two and striking out one. The ball then went to Carson Morgan (New Haven/Vernon, CT), who went 2.1 innings in his season debut, giving up two runs and issuing three walks.
Colin Crowley (Winthrop/Southington, CT) recorded New Britain’s second hit of the night when he led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left, and the Bees scored their first run when catcher Caleb Miller (Union/Rome, NY) drove him in with a single to shallow left. Crowley’s double marked his 10th extra base hit of the year, which lead the team.
Worcester’s Chris Mondesir ripped a two-run homer off Morgan in the top of the seventh to extend the Bravehearts’ lead 9-1. The Bees, however, would come alive in the bottom of the eighth with four hits. Tim Hennig (Binghamton/Wantagh, NY) drove in JT Clark (Eastern CT State/Bristol, CT) to cut the lead to seven, then a single from Cade Bernardo (Endicott/Glenmont, NY) brought home Miller and Hennig. Another single from Chaz Wright (St. John’s/South River, N.J.) put runners on the corners, but they would be stranded to end the inning, leaving Worcester ahead 9-4.
Infielder PJ Hughes (Richmond/Manhattan, KS) made his pitching debut in the top of the ninth. He would allow two insurance runs to cross for the Bravehearts, walking two and striking out one in one inning of work. Worcester would quiet New Britain’s bats in order in the bottom of the ninth.
Despite the loss, the Bees’ defense made some incredible plays, with Pengel diving to make a catch in centerfield, Cam Righi (UConn/Wethersfield, CT) recording two sliding grabs in right field, and Wright making an impressive grab in foul territory in his first start at first base this season. Brennan Staubley (Southern CT State/Plainville, CT) led the Bees with two walks, the most he has had in a game this season.
The Bees will close out their five-game homestand over the next two days, taking on the Nashua Silver Knights on Friday, July 11th at 6:35 p.m., before a doubleheader against the Bravehearts on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. Click the link below for tickets or visit the box office before the game!