Falcons Pick Up Split On Day Four

Defeat Keene State 6-1 in game one; Drop 5-1 decision to Rutgers-Newark in nightcap 

Clermont, Fla. – The Fitchburg State University softball team spilt a double header this afternoon on day four of its annual spring trip to Florida as the Falcons defeated the Owls of Keene State 6-1 to earn the programs first ever win over the Owls before dropping a 5-1 decision to the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers-Newark in the nightcap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 6, Keene State 1 (Game One)

Records: Fitchburg State (2-5) | Keene State (1-5)

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Rutgers-Newark 5 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (2-6) | Rutgers-Newark (7-1)

How It Happened

Fitchburg State broke open a 0-0 stalemate in the top of the fifth as junior Hayley McCarthy (Lawrence, Mass.) and classmate Michelle LeBlanc (Ashburnham, Mass.) scored on a pair of fielding miscues before fellow junior Melissa DiPhilippo (Norfolk, Mass.) drove in sophomore Keeliey Zompetti () and junior Maddie Medina (Pelham, N.H.) for the 5-0 advantage.

The Green and Gold extended its lead (6-0) in the following frame when sophomore McKenzie Lambert (Wilbraham, Mass.) walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by LeBlanc.

Keene State broke up the shutout in the bottom of the seventh as senior Shae Crosby (Salem, Conn.) was hit by a pitch and eventually came around to score when junior Molly St. Germain (Dover, N.H) dropped down a sacrifice bunt, resulting in the 6-1 final.

In game two, Rutgers-Newark took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as freshman Julie Contravo (Hainesport, N.J.) blasted a home run to bring in senior Morgan Schweitzer (Monroe, N.J.), before the Scarlet Raiders upped their margin (5-0) in the top half of the seventh on an RBI double by senior Kelly Yusko (Portage, Penn.).

Fitchburg State broke its scoring silence in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Cammi Sperling (Rutland, Mass.) tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Lambert, resulting in the 5-1 game two final.

Inside the Numbers

In game one of the day, Fitchburg State was led by DiPhilippo, who hit 3-for-4 with an RBI, while LeBlanc added one hit, an RBI and one run scored.

In the circle, freshman Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) spun a gem for the Falcons, giving up just one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts in the complete game effort to earn her first collegiate victory.

20th meeting between Fitchburg State and Keene State in the softball with the Falcons currently 1-19-0 when taking on the Owls.

Keene State had won 19 straight against Fitchburg State, including a double header sweep in the last matchup on March 29, 2012.

The Falcons game two offense was paced by Sperling, who hit 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored, while Lambert added an RBI.

In the circle, sophomore Emma Campbell (Goffstown, N.H.) took the loss in game two for Fitchburg State, allowing three runs (1 earned) on five hits.

Just the second meeting between Fitchburg State and Rutgers-Newark on the softball field with the Falcons currently 0-2-0 when taking on the Scarlet Raiders.

Rutgers-Newark won the first ever matchup with Fitchburg State, collecting a 7-4 win on March 12, 2012.

Up Next

Falcons return to action tomorrow as it takes on the Blue Jays of Elmhurst College and the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs the final day of their annual spring trip to Florida, starting at 11:30 AM.