Baseball Closes Out Season with Split Against Rams

FRAMINGHAM, MA: Fitchburg State baseball split today's doubleheader against the Rams of Framingham State, closing out the season and conference action.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 5/4/24

- Score: Framingham 8, Fitchburg 4 (Game One). Fitchburg 14, Framingham 5

- Records: Framingham (16-18, 14-7 MASCAC), Fitchburg (13-25, 8-13 MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  The Falcons scored in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Matthew Smith (Flanders, NJ). Fitchburg would later go up 2-0 in the top of the third on another sac fly, this time by Adam Koza (Windham, MA). Framingham would respond with five runs in the bottom half of the third, giving them the lead of 5-2. The top of the lineup put the third together for the Rams, with Shane Costello getting the first run on the board for the Rams on an RBI single through the left side. Lucas Basile would bring in another on a single up the middle. Ryan Boyle and Robert Johnston would bring in the other runs, with a Boyle double and Johnston sac fly.

-  Fitchburg would bring the game to within one at 4-5 in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run effort. Joseph Abt (Newbury, MA) brought in one on a single through the left side. Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) brought in the Falcons final run with another single up the middle. The Rams would go back up by four with a three-run sixth. Matthew Hart brought in the final two runs on a double to left field.

Joseph Stawski (Niantic, CT) (L, 3-4) pitched all six innings, surrendering nine hits and eight earned runs with four strikeouts. Joshua Sunderland (W, 3-3) pitched a complete game for the Rams, allowing just seven hits, four earned runs, and six strikeouts.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Hart topped the Rams, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and 2 RBIs.

-  Boyle also had 2 hits for Framingham, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.

-  Matthew Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) topped the Falcons, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  The Falcons came out swinging in game two, racking up 14 hits and 14 runs. They saw an 8-0 lead before the Rams were able to respond. Fitchburg had two big innings that built their lead. The first came in the second when they plated four. Nolan Hills Danvers, MA) started the inning with an RBI double to left field. Devin Lorae (Canton, GA) would follow him with an RBI single. Kelly would close out the inning with another single that brought in one more. Abt would make it 8-0 in the fourth with a two-run double to right center. After Ryan Plocker made it 8-1 with an RBI single, the Falcons would add another four on the board in the top of the fifth. Hills struck again, this time with a two-RBI double to center field. Lorae would also bring in another, followed by Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, MA).

- Basile would put the second run up for Framingham in the bottom half of the fifth on a double down the left field line. Fitchburg would get their two final runs in the sixth on a walk and Hills sac fly, giving him four runs batted in. Framingham would have their biggest inning in the bottom of the seventh, where they brought in three runs. Boyle highlighted that inning with a double to left field.

- Adam Wholley (Londonderry, NH) (W, 1-0) got his first win of the season after going six innings with seven hits surrendered, four earned runs, and two strikeouts. Vincent LoGuidice (L, 2-4) suffered the loss after going only two innings, giving up six hits and five runs.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Hills topped the Falcons, going 2-for-3, with 4 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.

-  Lorae had his best game of the season after going 2-for-4 with 3 runs scored, and 2 RBIs.

-  Basile was 1-for-4 for the Rams with 2 RBIs.

STAY CONNECTED:

- For the latest on Fitchburg State University Athletics, follow the Falcons via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.