Fitchburg State Drops Two To Salem State

Falcons edged 1-0 in game one; suffer tough 5-2 setback in night cap

SALEM, Mass. – The Vikings of Salem State swept Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) softball action on "Senior Day" at Alumni Field this afternoon. The Vikings finish the regular season 21-15 and 9-5 in the MASCAC play, while the. Falcons drop to 11-18 and 6-8 in conference.

Salem State 1, Fitchburg State 0 (Game 1)

Meghan Black fired a one-hitter and pinch-runner Kasey Nolan scored the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh as Salem State edged Fitchburg State 1-0 in the first game of their scheduled MASCAC doubleheader. Nolan pinch-ran for Samantha Holey, who had walked; scored the only run of the game from second after fielding miscue. 

Black, spun a gem for the Vikings in game one, allowing just one hit with one strikeout in the complete game effort to earn the win as sophomore Michelle LeBlanc broke up the no hit bit with a single up the middle in the top of the seventh, but Black induced an inning ending double play to set the stages for the walk off win.

Fitchburg State starter Galen Kerr matched zeroes on the scoreboard until the seventh and earned the tough luck loss after scattering five hits with ten strikeouts in six and 2/3 innings of work for the Falcons.

Salem State 5, Fitchburg State 2 (Game 2)

A pitchers' duel developed again in game two. Salem State starter IIeish Burney worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first, but was tagged for a run in the second as Jessalynne Brown knocked in Tori Cyrus with a base hit to put the Green and Gold up 1-0 in the top of third.

Burney settled down and allowed just a single over the fourth and fifth innings. Meanwhile, Kaylee Sylvestre shut out the Vikings' offense until the fifth. With two outs, Chloe Manousos tied the game (1-1) with a base hit before Dominique Del Vecchio gave Salem State a 2-1 edge as she followed with an RBI single.

Kerr relieved Sylvestre in the sixth, nearly working out of a bases loaded jam by strikeout out the next two hitter, but Manousos delivered a bases clearing double to extend Salem State's lead to 5-1.

Cyrus added a two-out RBI single in the seventh to the cut the deficit to 5-1, but Burney closed out the complete game win, allowing two runs (1 earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts to collect the win. Sylvestre took the loss for the Falcons, yielding just four hits (two runs) with a walk and one K.

Damari Grossi and Brown had two hits apiece for Fitchburg State to lead the way for the Falcons, while Jen Crovo went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish for Salem State.

Both teams will await seeding in next week's upcoming MASCAC Tournament.  

Release courtesy of Salem State SID office