Fitchburg State Splits With Framingham State

Falcons fall 9-4 in game one; rally back for 5-1 win in the nightcap

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 22, 2011) – The Fitchburg State baseball team battled to a 1-1 split with MASCAC foe Framingham State University this afternoon at Riccards Field. The Rams notched a 9-4 victory in game one, while the Falcons rallied back for a 5-1 win in game two.

Framingham State 9, Fitchburg State 4

Senior Chris Ketterer (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) led Framingham State to a game one victory, hitting 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI, while junior Chris Blydell (Lynn, Mass./Swampscott) finished with a pair of hits, a pair of runs and one RBI. Senior Sean Callahan (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) chipped with a two-run single to round out the Rams attack.

Fitchburg State received a strong game one effort from freshman David Mason (Leominster, Mass./Leominster), who ended the contest a perfect 3-for-3, while senior Dave Alexander (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) added a double, a run scored and one RBI.  

In the opener, Framingham State wasted no time getting on the board, taking advantage of a Falcon error in the first inning to notch a 2-0 lead. Blydell led off the inning, reaching base on an error, before Ketterer stepped in a belted an RBI single up the middle for an early 1-0 advantage. Two batters later, Ketterer scored as Fitchburg State conceded his run to turn a 6-4-3 double play.

The Rams opened a 5-0 lead in the top of the fifth frame, using a two-run double from Ketterer and an RBI single from freshman Matt Roberge (Lowell, Mass./Lowell), before grabbing a 7-0 margin with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Fitchburg State muscled up two runs in the bottom of the frame, keyed by an RBI double from Alexander, but that's as close as the Falcons would come as the teams traded a pair of runs over the seventh inning.

Junior Michal Mercier (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards) suffered the loss for the Falcons (2-4), yielding five runs (three earned) and seven hits over five innings of work. Senior Tommy Lindberg (Stratford, Conn./Shelton) earned the victory for the Rams with a complete game effort, allowing just three earned runs and nine hits over seven innings pitched.

Fitchburg State 5, Framingham State 1

In game two, Fitchburg State received a strong pitching effort from sophomore Alex Teal (Malden, Mass./Malden) as the Falcons notched their fourth league victory of the season.

Teal was solid for the Falcons, tossing a complete-game, five-hitter for his third win of the year. Teal surrendered just one run on the afternoon, while striking out a season-high ten batters and not issuing a walk.

On the offensive end, senior John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) paced Fitchburg State, going 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and one RBI. Sophomore Jeff Boice (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) was also strong with a 1-for-3 day and two RBI, while junior Frank Yavorosky (Westminster, Mass./Narragansett) finished 1-for-2 with a run scored and one RBI.

Fitchburg State opened game two with an early 1-0 lead, taking advantage of a costly Ram error, but Framingham State rallied back in the top half of the inning to knot the score at 1-1. The Falcons regained their one run lead in the bottom of the third frame with an RBI single off the bat of Yavorosky, before breaking the contest open with a trio runs in the fifth. Boice sparked the Falcons fifth inning rally with a two-run single to right center, while Phelan added an RBI double down the right field line.

Sophomore Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass./Marian) finished as the lone Ram with multiple hits off Teal, while senior Joe Sheehan (Burlington, Mass./Burlington) added an RBI single. On the mound, junior Ryan Stoller (Milton, Mass./Milton) suffered the loss for Framingham State, surrendering five runs on six hits over his complete game effort.    

Fitchburg State (14-15, 4-6 MASCAC) returns to action on Tuesday as it hosts Worcester State at 2 p.m. Framingham State (14-16, 4-6 MASCAC) will visit Salem State on Tuesday at 2 p.m.