Falcons Close Out Florida Trip

Drop 6-1 decision to Elmhurst in opener; Edged 4-3 by UMass Dartmouth in nightcap 

Clermont, Fla. – The Fitchburg State University softball team dropped a pair of contests afternoon on the fifth final day of its annual spring trip to Florida as the Falcons dropped a 6-1 decision to the Blue Jays of Elmhurst in the first game of the day before suffering a tough 4-3 setback to UMass Dartmouth in the nightcap.

The Basics

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

Records: Fitchburg State (2-7) | Elmhurst (1-0)

Score: Fitchburg State 3, UMass Dartmouth 4 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (2-8) | UMass Dartmouth (7-5)

How It Happened

In game one, Elmhurst opened the scoring in the top of the first on an RBI groundout by junior Alyssa Ressinger (Lombardi, Ill.) and a run scoring single down the right field line from senior Stephanie Sturino (Roselle, Ill.) for the 2-0 lead.

Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the second, Fitchburg State cut into the deficit when junior Hayley McCarthy (Lawrence, Mass.) singled, moved to third on double off the bat of classmate Michelle LeBlanc (Ashburnham, Mass.) and scored on grounder to second by sophomore Keeliey Zompetti (Hudson, Mass.) to make the score 3-1.

The Blue Jays secured the win, adding an insurance run in the top of the fourth as freshman Veronica Zahn (Aurora, Ill.) singled, stole second and crossed the plate on single up the middle by junior Rebekah Ondracek (Downers Grove, Ill.), en-route to the 6-1 final.

In game two, UMass Dartmouth grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as freshman Leah Major (Fairhaven, Mass.) singled scored on a double from senior Emily Colton (Kingston, Mas.) before Colton scored later in the frame.

Fitchburg State responded with three runs in the top of the third when junior Melissa DiPhilippo (Norfolk, Mass.) and freshman Cammi Sperling (Rutland, Mass.) connected on run scoring single, while junior Samantha Woodman (Essex, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk that brought in sophomore McKenzie Lambert (Wilbraham, Mass.) to give the Falcons a 3-2 advantage.

The Corsairs regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Colton singles through the left side to bring home sophomore Nicole McSweeney (Bridgewater, Mass.) before sophomore Cierra Sheerin (Bridgewater, Mass.) plated Major with the winning run on  a base knock down the left field line, resulting in the 4-3 final.

Inside the Numbers

In the opening contest, Fitchburg State was led by LeBlanc, who finished 1-for-3 with a double, while McCarthy, DiPhilippo and sophomore Emma Campbell (Goffstown, N.H.) added one hit each.

In the circle, freshman Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) took the loss, yielding four earned runs on six hits with three K's in 5.2 innings of work for the Falcons in game one.

First ever meeting between Fitchburg State and Elmhurst on the softball field.

In the nightcap, the Falcons were paced by Sperling, who finished 1-for-3 with an RBI, while DiPhilippo chipped in with a single and one run batted in.

Sophomore Mikayla Harnois (Attleboro, Mass.) suffer the setback for the Green and Gold in game two, giving up four runs on 11 hits in 6.1 innings work.

21st meeting between the two schools in the circle with the Falcons currently 9-11-1 all-time when taking on the Corsairs.

Fitchburg State had won four of the previous six matchups with UMass Dartmouth with the Corsairs coming away with a 7-2/11-7 double header sweep in the last matchup on March 24, 2009.

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Tuesday as it hosts the Engineers of WPI of a non-conference doubleheader, starting at 3:30 PM