Salem State Takes Two From Fitchburg State

Skoczylas notches three hits in Falcons doubleheader

SALEM, Mass. (April 13, 2009) - The Fitchburg State softball team suffered a pair of MASCAC setbacks to Salem State College this afternoon. The Vikings took game one, 5-2 before blanking the Falcons 5-0 in the nightcap.

Salem State 5, Fitchburg State 2 

Junior Karen Skoczylas (Palmer, Mass./Palmer) led Fitchburg State in game one, hitting 1-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI, while freshman Ashley McKinnon (Raynham, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) added a hit and one run scored. Junior Jess Baird (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) led the Salem State attack with a game-high two hits, including a double, triple, two runs scored and three RBI.

Salem State erased a 1-0 first inning deficit by scoring twice in the bottom of the first as Baird connected for a two-run triple, scoring junior Amanda Scola (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) and herself on an outfield throwing error. The Lady Vikings tagged on single runs in the third and sixth innings led by an RBI double by Laird and a run scoring single by Stephanie Zina (Abington, Mass./Abington).

Senior righty Katelyn Doherty (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield)  posted her ninth win of the season, allowing the Falcons just three hits.  Doherty gave up two earned runs, struck out a pair and issued two walks.  Freshman Allison Cousins (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) worked six innings for the Falcons, allowing six hits and just one earned run.

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Salem State 5, Fitchburg State 0

In game two, Salem State sophomore Taylor Orlando (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) and freshman Michelle Grifoni (Peabody, Mass./Peabody) combined for a 4-for-6 performance with one run scored and one RBI. Skoczylas led the Fitchburg State offense with two of the Falcons three hits.

ALLISON COUSINS

The Lady Vikings, who recorded their fifth win in their last six games, looked to freshman pitcher Katelynn Fanning (East Boston, Mass./East Boston) to complete the sweep.  Fanning did not disappoint, picking up her sixth win of the season with a three-hit complete game effort, while striking out eight.. 

Salem State scored the only run it would need early in the first inning as freshman Ashley Alfred (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) collected a first inning RBI with an infield ground out. Baird contributed an RBI triple the Vikings four-run first inning and scored once while sophomore Lauren Concannon (Everett, Mass./Everett) picked an RBI single to plate Orlando who tripled.

Sophomore Bethany Stone (Wells, Maine/Wells) suffered the loss for the Falcons, yielding four runs on four hits in one inning of work. Cousins came on in relief for the Falcons, holding the Vikings to only one run over five innings, while striking out two.

Fitchburg State (4-20, 1-5 MASCAC) returns to action tomorrow as it hosts Worcester State College in a MASCAC doubleheader at 2 p.m. Salem State (15-9, 2-3 MASCAC) will host Framingham State College tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.

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