Softball Splits Non-Conference Twin Bill With Wildcats

Cahill leads Green and Gold to comeback victory in opener

Fitchburg, MA: The Fitchburg State Softball Team split a non-conference double header with the Wildcats of Bay Path University this afternoon from the Donna Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field as the Falcons rallied for a 7-3 victory in the opener before dropping the nightcap by a score of 7-2.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 4//17/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 7, Bay Path 3 (GM1)

- Score: Fitchburg State 2, Bay Path 7 (GM2)

- Records: Fitchburg State (10-16, 4-4 MASCAC), Bay Path (12-13)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  Fitchburg State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as senior Molly Grass (Rockland, MA) singled up the middle, stole second and eventually scored on a wild pitch for the 1-0 lead. Bay Path answered in the top of the second when senior Taylor Suffoletto (Warwick, RI), sophomore Caroline Austin (West Hartford, MA) and sophomore Grace Ramsey (Ault, CO) walked to load the bases before Suffoletto crossed the plate on a passed and freshman Madison Sunderland (Ludlow, MA) drove in Austin with a sacrifice fly for the 2-1 advantage.

- The Wildcats upped the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third as Suffoletto doubled down the leftfield line and scored on an RBI double to right field off the bat of Ramsey. The Falcons responded in the bottom of the fifth with senior Julia Gauvin (Granby. MA) drawing a walk, stole second before crossing the plate on an RBI groundout from junior Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) before senior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, MA), sophomore Adria McKenzie (Lowell, MA) and senior Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, CT) added RBI base knocks for the 5-3 edge.

- The Green and Gold secured the victory in the bottom of the sixth when Gauvin doubled down the leftfield line and scored on an RBI single up the middle from senior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, CT), while Cahill drove in freshman Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) with a single through the right side, resulting in the 7-3 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

-  Cahill led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-2 with a double, one run scored and two RBI

-  Mueller finished 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Green and Gold

-  Cahill picked up the win for Fitchburg State, giving up just two hits to go along with eight K's and two walk in 4.2 innings of relief

-  For the Wildcats, Suffoletto went 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored

-  Ramsey chipped in with a double and one RBI

-  Sophomore Isabella Ferrara (Hampden, MA) took the loss for Bay Path, allowing seven runs (6 earned) on 11 hits as well as three walks over six innings of work

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Bay Path took the lead in the top of the first as freshman Yasmine Badillo (Springfield, MA) walked advanced to third on single to left field by Suffoletto before Austin doubled down the leftfield line to score Badillo and Suffoletto for the 2-0 edge.

-  Fitchburg State knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Cisowski singled to left field, advanced to third on double to right center from Mueller, while Sousa laced a two-run double to right field that plated Cisowski and Mueller.

-  The Wildcats regained the lead in the top of the sixth with Suffoletto singling up the middle, moving to second on base hit from Sunderland before Suffoletto crossed the plate on a fielding miscue to make the score 3-2. Bay Path secured the victory in the top of the seventh with RBI base knocks by Austin, Ramsey and sophomore Madison Tessmer (Cromwell, CT), while Suffoletto added a two-run single, resulting in the 7-2, game two triumph.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This afternoon's contest marked the fifth meeting between the two teams on softball field with the Falcons 4-1 all-time when taking on the Wildcats

-  Sousa paced the Falcons, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI

-  Mueller added a double and one run scored for the Green and Gold

-  Senior Mary Kate Moreau (Berkley, MA) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, yielding seven runs (4 earned) on 11 hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 6.1 innings pitched

-  For the Wildcats, Austin finished 3-of-4 with a double, one run scored and two RBI

- Suffoletto chipped in with three hits, three runs scored and two RBI

-  Sunderland collected the win for Bay Path, surrendering two runs on four hits as well as seven K's in the complete game effort

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action tomorrow as they travel to Dean College to take on the Bulldogs for a non-conference twin bill, starting at 3:00PM.

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