Fitchburg State Powers Past Fisher, 15-11

Falcons muscle up three times to register key, non-conference victory

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 6, 2011) – The Fitchburg State baseball team held off a rallying Fisher College, posting its sixth victory of the season with a 15-11 non-conference victory at Riccards Field this afternoon.

Fitchburg State used a commanding 20 hit attack to jump out to a 15-5 lead and held off a late-inning surge by Fisher to snap a four-game losing streak. Seniors Dave Alexander (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) and John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) sparked the Falcons, combining for seven hits in the contest. Alexander provided the big boost, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a homerun, three RBI and three runs scored, while Phelan finished 4-for-6 with four runs and four steals.

 Sophomore Matt Zajac (New Hartford, Conn./St. Paul) and freshman David Mason (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) also aided the Fitchburg State attack with their first collegiate homeruns, while combining for five RBI, and four runs in the contest.

The Falcons opened the game with an early 5-0 lead, paced by a three run homerun from Alexander in the first inning but Fisher quickly knotted the score at 5-5 in the third, keyed by a two run double by Jose Paulino (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence) and a two run single by Victor Lebron (Union City, NJ/Union City).

 Fitchburg State answered right back with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good at 9-5. The Falcons again turned to its muscle as Mason smacked a solo shot to right and Zajac launched a three run blast to left-center.

The Falcons added to their lead (15-5) with six runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but Fisher did not go quietly, plating six runs throughout the last three frames. Fitchburg State reliever Mike Scaramellino (Dover Plains, NY/Dover) was able to work out of the jam in the ninth however, posting his first save of the season to clinch the victory.

On the mound, senior Marshall Miller (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) picked up the win for Fitchburg State, allowing three earned runs on five hits (3 K's) in 3.1 innings of relief, while sophomore Casey Reed (Ossipee, N.H./Kingswood Regional) suffered the loss for Fisher.

Fisher received a solid offensive effort from freshman Davidson Peguero (Boston, Mass./Weatherford) who was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI while Paulino finished 3-for-4 on the afternoon with a double, three RBI and a pair of runs scored.

Fitchburg State (6-10, 0-2 MASCAC) returns to action tomorrow as it travels to Suffolk University at 7 p.m. Fisher (6-21, 3-1 SC) returns to the diamond tomorrow as it travels to Briarcliffe at 2 p.m.