Anna Maria Edges Fitchburg State, 11-10

Alexander notches four hits in Falcons non-conference setback

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 29, 2011) – The Fitchburg State baseball team battled Anna Maria College down to the wire this afternoon, falling 11-10 in non-conference action at Riccards Field.

Despite a 17-hit effort, Fitchburg State fell just one out short of tying the score in the bottom of the ninth inning. With bases loaded and two outs the Falcons threatened, but Anna Maria junior Dean Diamantopoulos (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) worked out of the jam, recording the final out with a K to seal the victory for the Amcats.

Anna Maria jumped out to an early 6-0 advantage paced by a three-run homerun from senior Andy Fallon (Worcester, Mass./Doherty) in the second inning, but Fitchburg State clawed back, tying the score (8-8) in the seventh. The Falcons touched for four runs in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run single from freshman David Mason (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) and an RBI base-hit from Frank Yavorosky (Westminster Mass./Narragansett) before adding a trio of runs in the fifth.

Fitchburg State knotted the score in the seventh as sophomore Jeff Boice (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) doubled and scored on a wild pitch, but Anna Maria responded with two runs in the eight to regain a two-run advantage (10-8). The Falcons answered in the bottom of the ninth with three consecutive hits off the bats of Dave Alexander (Torrington, Conn./Torrington), Mason and Cody Bamforth (Vernon, Conn./Rockville), but Fitchburg State was only able to push across one run as Diamantopoulos closed the door with bases full of Falcons.

Alexander sparked the Falcons 17-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one RBI, while Mason finished 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Fallon did most of the damage for the Amcats, hitting 3-for-4 with a homer, double, four runs scored and five RBI, while freshman Andrew Dupre (Northbridge, Mass./Northbridge) added three hits, a pair of runs and one RBI.

On the hill, sophomore Zachary Bombria (Bolton, Conn./Bolton) suffered the loss in relief for Fitchburg State, yielding two runs and four hits over two innings of work. Seniors Marshall Miller (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) and Mike Scaramellino (Dover Plains, N.Y./Dover Plains) worked the first seven innings for the Falcons, combining for four strikeouts over their outings. Diamantopoulos earned the victory in relief for the Amcats, tossing four innings of two-run baseball (3 K's).

Fitchburg State (14-18, 4-8 MASCAC) returns to action tomorrow as it travels to Westfield State at 12 p.m. Anna Maria (21-17, 13-9 TCCC) will host Newbury College tomorrow at 12 p.m.