Bees Open 2020 Season With Win

NEW BRITAIN—Live baseball returned to Connecticut on Thursday night when the New Britain Bees kicked off their inaugural season as a part of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League with a 6-0 win over the defending champion Worcester Bravehearts on Thursday night. Noah Martinez (Central Connecticut State University), Andrew Cain (University of New Haven) and Todd Peterson (UConn) led the Bees with two hits and a run scored apiece. Cain and Peterson added two RBIs each.

The Bravehearts, meanwhile, had a difficult night at the plate tonight, collecting only four hits while leaving 10 runners on base. Second baseman Mariano Ricciardi (University of Dayton) became the first player ever to play four seasons with the Bravehearts, although he struggled at the plate going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.

Both teams started off the game strong defensively, with no runs scored until the sixth inning when the Bees’ bats began to heat up.  With the Bees leading 1-0 lead, UConn third baseman Todd Petersen drove in two more with a left field. Another run scored on an error by Worcester catcher Ben Rice.  New Britain tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a double into center field by designated hitter Andrew Cain (University of New Haven).

New Britain starting pitcher, Alex Price (Middlebury College), delivered four strong innings, allowing only two hits. Price struck out five and walked only two batters. Ben Talbot (Holy Cross) closed out the game with a 1-2-3 inning, throwing only 11 pitches and striking out the final batter to seal the Bees first ever win in the FCBL.

Friday night’s scheduled game vs. the Westfield Startfires was cancelled due to inclement weather. Anyone holding tickets for Friday’s contest can exchange them for a ticket of equal or lesser value to any remaining Bees’ home game during the 2020 season at the New Britain Stadium ticket office. The game will be made up on Thursday, July 9, at 6:35 p.m.

The Bees will be back in action on Sunday July 5th against the North Shore Navigators, with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. CLICK HERE for tickets.

—Staff Reports

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