Falcons Drop Pair Of Conference Games To Lancers

Drop opener 10-2; Clipped 4-1 in nightcap 

Worcester, Mass. – The Fitchburg State softball team dropped a pair of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contests to the Lancers of Worcester State, 10-2/4-1 this evening at Rockwood Park.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 2, Worcester State 10 (Gm 1)

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Worcester State 4 (Gm 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (11-17, 6-6 MASCAC) | Worcester State (18-9, 10-2 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Fitchburg State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as junior Nicole Sylvester (Everett, Mass.) doubled to left center to bring in sophomore McKenzie Lambert (Wilbraham, Mass.) before freshman Cammi Sperling (Rutland, Mass.) singled home Sylvester.

Worcester State responded with four runs in the bottom of the second when sophomore Kalulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass,) tripled to right field to score newcomer Samantha Stake (Worcester, Mass.), junior Katie Poiselli (Charlton, Mass.) and junior Haley Scola (Worcester, Mass.) to make the score 4-2.

Leading 9-2 in the bottom of the fourth, the Lancers tacked on an insurance run in the frame as Socla laced a double to right field that brought home senior Dakota Smith-Porter (Montague, Mass.), resulting in the 10-2 game one final.

Game Two

Worcester State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as senior Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) connected on a two-run home run to right center before sophomore Becky Brandeberry (Phillipston, Mass.) launched a two-run homer to center for the 4-0 lead.

Fitchburg State cut the deficit to 4-1 in the top of the fourth when junior Hayley McCarthy (Lawrence, Mass.) doubled, moved to third on base hit off the bat of classmate Michaela Keenan (Boston, Mass.) and scored on a single to short from junior Samantha Woodman (Essex, Mass.), but the Lancers limited the damage to just the one run after yielding just one walk over the final three innings of play to complete the sweep.

Inside the Numbers

81st meeting between the two schools in the softball circle with the Falcons currently 26-55-0 all-time when taking on the Lancers.

Worcester State has won five of the previous six contests with Fitchburg State, including a 3-0/8-1 double header sweep last season at Coolidge Park.

Lambert led the way for the Falcon, going 2-for-6 with a run scored, while McCarthy and Woodman added one hit and one RBI each.

For the Lancers, Ennis went 4-of-6 with a double, triple, five RBI and two runs scored, while Smith-Porter chipped in with three hits and three runs scored.

In the circle, freshman Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) was solid for the Green and Gold, allowing just one earned run with two K's in 7.1 innings of work, while Smith-Porter and junior Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) combined to give up just three earned runs with seven strikeouts in the two wins for the Lancers.

Up Next

Falcons will host the Hawks of Becker College tomorrow for a non-conference double header, starting at 3:00 PM. Lancers will hosts the Judges of Brandeis University on the same date for a non-conference twin-billing at 4:00 PM.