Elms Shuts Down Fitchburg State, 3-0

Bamforth collects a pair of hits in Falcons non-conference setback

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 11, 2013) – The Fitchburg State baseball team suffered a tough non-conference setback this afternoon after falling to the Blazers of Elms College, 3-0 at Riccards Field.

Elms freshman second baseman Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) drove in a pair of runs and sophomore pitcher Geoffrey Frost (Ludlow, Mass.) allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings to help propel the Blazers their tenth victory of the year.

After a scoreless first inning of play that featured a 1-2-3 inning for both teams, Elms broke the scoreless tie when junior catcher Zachary Dreher (Naugatuck, Conn.) connected for a one-out single to left field, and then moved to second on a base hit through the left side by freshman shortstop Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.). Both runners advanced 90 feet on a groundout to the pitcher before Wadja laced a two-out, two-run single giving the Blazers a 2-0 lead.

The Falcons kept Elms' offense in check over the next four innings allowing just two runners to reach as far as second base. In the top of the seventh, freshman left fielder Dan McCormack (Shelton, Conn.) drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then moved to third on a groundout bringing junior first baseman Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.) to the plate who drove him the final 90 feet with an RBI single.

Elms loaded the bases in the top of the ninth when King Walked, Dreher singled up the middle and Medeiros walked but Falcons' relief pitcher Brendan Cutler (Lancaster, Mass.) entered the game for Max Tejeda (Acton, Mass.) and struck out the next Blazers' batter to end the threat and keep the game at 3-0.

Fitchburg State starting pitcher Mike Martignetti (Boston, Mass.) suffered the loss to move to 0-1 on the season. He allowed three runs on eight hits, dealt four walks and struck out three batters in 6.2 frames of work. Tejeda allowed just one hit and walked three in two stanzas on the hill, while Cody Bamforth (Vernon, Conn.) was 2 for 4 to lead the Falcons at the plate.

Fitchburg State (10-11-1, 1-3 MASCAC) is back in action on Saturday as it hosts Mass-Maritime Academy for a conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.