Falcons Split with Vikings

Edged 4-2 in opener; Walk-Off Win in the Nightcap

Rindge, NH. – The Fitchburg State University baseball team split a pair of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contests with the Vikings of Salem State on Saturday afternoon at Pappas Stadium on the campus of Franklin Pierce University. The Vikings took game one 4-2, while the Falcons won 2-1 in the nightcap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 2, Salem State 4 (Gm 1)

Score: Fitchburg State 2, Salem State 1 (Gm 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (10-14-2, 4-5-1 MASCAC) | Salem State (15-13, 4-4 MASCAC)

Game 1

With runners on second and third in the bottom of the third inning Falcons' Andrew Currie (Quincy, Mass.)  grounded out to shortstop scoring Timothy Horton (Northampton, Mass.), who had opened the inning with a single to centerfield, knotting the score at 1-1 after three.

The Vikings pushed three runs across the plate in the top of the fouth inning. With the bases full, Jose Cedano (Lawrence, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, scoring Alex Toomey (Beverly, Mass.). Two batters later junior Brendan Greene (Winchester, Mass.) delivered a SAC fly to right field, then RJ Warnock (North Reading, Mass.) scored on a bases loaded walk to give the visitors a 4-1 advantage.

Senior Sean Maki (Fitchburg, Mass.) laced a double to center field and advanced to third base on an errant throw, to lead off the home half of the third. Maki scored on Matthew Pingitore's (Rutland, Mass.) seeing-eye single to left field to cut the deficit to 4-2 after 4 complete innings.

However, Salem State pitcher senior Steve Leavitt (Peabody, Mass.) stymied the Falcon's offense over the next three frames for the complete game win.

Game 2

The Falcons scored the lone run through four played in the home half. Junior Noah Milliard (Leominster, Mass.) singled to right field and advanced to third on Brennan Cuddahy's (Leominster, Mass.) single to right-center field, then scored on a deep sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Joshua Macomber (Berkley, Mass.).

SSU evened the score in the top of the sixth frame. Freshman Shawn Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.) tripled to the warning track in left centerfield and came around to score on a defensive throwing error by the Falcons.

The Green and Gold would walk off with the win in the bottom of the seventh. Back-to-back singles from Cordeau and Currie put runners on first and second. With two out Maki would get hit by a pitch to load the bags, next Cuddahy would draw a walk-off walk RBI for the victory.

Inside the Numbers

Leavitt scattered seven hits over seven inning with 7 strikeouts and two earned runs for his fourth win of the season for Salem State in game one. Junior Adam Somers (Framingham, Mass.) took the loss for FSU allowing four earned runs with 4 hits, 2 walks and 3 k's over 3.2 innings of work.

Sophomore Richard Sharp (Townsend, Mass.) notched his second win of the season in the nightcap, allowing just one run on four hits with three K's. Junior Brock Riley (Lowell, Mass.) suffered the loss allowing the game-winning run on two hits in one inning of relief.

98th meeting between the two schools on the diamond with the Falcons currently 20 -78-0 all-time when taking on the Vikings.

Salem State had won 14 of the previous 16 match ups with Fitchburg State, including a 7-5/6-5 sweep last season. Former Falcon Mike St. John paced the Falcons offense, going 3-of-5 with a triple, one run scored and an RBI in the two contests.

Up Next

The Falcons are next in action on Tuesday, April 24^th when they head to Worcester to take on the Lancers of Worcester State in a MASCAC doubleheader starting at 2:00PM, while the Vikings will host the Worcester State Lancers tomorrow at 1:00pm.