Softball Drops Two Against Keene State

KEENE, NH: Fitchburg State softball dropped both games this afternoon against Keene State in non-conference action.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 5/2/24

- Score: Keene 5, Fitchburg 2 (Game One). Keene 11, Fitchburg 6.

- Records: Keene (8-30), Fitchburg (11-23)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  The Owls took no time going up on the Falcons, as they plated three in their half of the first inning. Grace Wallace brought in two of Keene's three runs on a double to left center field. Keene would add on with a run in the bottom of the third on another double, this time coming from Molly Murray. The Owls fifth and final run came in the bottom of the fourth on a single to center field by Kalle Halvorsen.

- The Falcons would score their first run in the top of the fifth inning on a throwing error by the first baseman. Fitchburg would plate one more in the top of the seventh after Molly Grass (Rockland, MA) singles through the right side.

- Mary Kate Moreau (Berkley, MA) (L, 2-6) got the loss after pitching all six innings, where she surrendered nine hits, five earned runs, and four strikeouts. Megan Strzegowski (W, 2-2) got the win after pitching the first five innings for the Owls. She only surrendered two hits and one walk in that time.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Wallace was 1-for-2 with 2 RBIs and a double.

-  Murray was 2-for-3 with 1 RBI and a double.

-  Grass had the lone RBI for the Falcons after going 1-for-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  The Falcons got the game started in a big way, with Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) hitting her first career home run on a two-run shot to right center. Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) would bring in the third run of the opening inning with a single to center field. Keene would respond with a two-run bottom half of the first to cut the deficit to just one. Liv Whittier brought in the first for the Owls on a triple, followed by a Wallace ground out.

- Keene would then take the lead in the bottom of the third when they plated seven. Wallace and Murray started the big inning off with RBI hits that brought in the two. Emma Chenette would then clear the bases with a three-run triple to right center. Elyse Picard and Whittier would follow up with RBI triples of their own to bring the score to 9-3.  

- Fitchburg would rally back, getting the game within three at 6-9 on an RBI single by Sousa and Ella Marshall (Gloucester, MA). Keene would get a couple of insurance runs in the bottom half of the sixth. The final of 11-6 was possible after Wallace got another RBI hit, this one a double. Morgan Rodrigues would close it out with an RBI groundout.

- Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, MA) (L, 4-8) suffered the loss after only going 2.2 innings, allowing ten hits, nine earned runs, and four strikeouts. Strzegowski would come in to get her second win of the day, going 3.2 innings with three hits allowed, three earned runs, and one strikeout.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Wallace was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 doubles.

-  Chenette was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and a triple.

-  Mueller was 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs and a home run.

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg  State softball will be back Saturday at 1 and 3 PM on the road against Framingham State to close out the regular season.

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