Fitchburg State Sweeps Becker

Falcons nip Hawks 2-1 in game one; post convincing 13-4 victory in game two

FITCHBURG, Mass. (March 26, 2011) – The Fitchburg State softball team swept Becker College in a non-conference double header this afternoon as the Falcons posted a 2-1 victory in game one and followed with a 13-4 victory in the nightcap.

Fitchburg State 2, Becker 1

In game one, Fitchburg State senior Nicole Monroe (Pepperell, Mass./North Middlesex) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but back-to-back hits with one out in frame brought on freshman Jessica Drago (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) for the save. Monroe (2-3) earned the win in the circle, pitching 6.1 innings with only one run and two hits allowed (7 K's). Sophomore Paige Needham (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) took the loss for the Hawks, surrendering two runs (1 earned) on five hits in the complete game effort.

Freshman Shannon Fitzgerald (Blackstone, Mass./Blackstone Regional) led Fitchburg State offensively, hitting 1-for-2 with an RBI, while classmate Megan Breault (Palmer, Mass./Palmer) and senior Lauren Donell (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) combined for a two hits and a pair of runs scored.

In addition to her mound duties, Needham was also strong offensively for the Hawks, finishing 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI while sophomore Talan Barron (Methuen, Mass./Methuen)  went 1-for-2 with one run scored.

Fitchburg State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as Donell led off the frame with single and later scored on a Fitzgerald RBI base hit. Sophomore Kelly Bourgea (Malden, Mass./Malden) and freshman Briana Kewley (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat).set up the game's first run with back-to-back sacrifice bunts before Fitzgerald plated Donell with a blast up the middle.

The Falcons doubled their lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning on a wild pitch, but Becker cut its deficit in half as Needham belted home Barron with an RBI double. The comeback fell just short however as Drago closed the door with a pair of outs in the seventh.

Fitchburg State 13, Becker 4 (5 Innings)

In game two, Fitchburg State's offense erupted for 13 runs on 11 hits to post its sixth victory of the season. Senior Karen Skoczylas (Palmer, Mass./Palmer) paved the way, going 2-for-3 with a homerun, two runs scored and three RBI, while Monroe finished a perfect 2-for-2 with a pair of triples and two RBI.

Fitchburg State took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and later doubled their lead to 4-0 on back to back run scoring singles by freshman Megan Breault (Palmer, Mass./Palmer) and sophomore Alycia McGrail (N. Brookfield, Mass./N. Brookfield).

Becker inched closer (4-2)  in the third but Fitchburg State answered right back with three runs over the next two frames to end the Hawk threat. Junior southpaw Allison Cousins (Leominster. Mass./Leominster) improved to 3-0 on the season, yielding just four earned runs on seven hits, while striking out four. Junior Jessica Lewis (Bellingham, Mass./Tri-County) suffered the loss for the Hawks, yielding 13 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits (3 K's).

Fitchburg State (6-5, 0-0 MASCAC) returns to action on Tuesday as it travels to WPI at 3 p.m. Becker (3-7, 0-0 NECC) will host Suffolk University on Wednesday starting a 3 p.m.