Fitchburg State Battles Mass Maritime In Twinbill
Fitchburg State Battles Mass Maritime In Twinbill
Falcons suffer 8-4 game one setback; rally for 8-5 victory in game two
FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 20, 2009) - The Fitchburg State baseball team battled to a 1-1 split with Mass Maritime this afternoon in MASCAC doubleheader action. The Falcons fell 8-4 in game one before rallying for an 8-5 victory in game two.
Mass Maritime 8, Fitchburg State 4
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Sophomore Ricky Graham (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) collected two hits in the contest for Fitchburg, State, including a double, one run scored and one RBI, while senior Andy Sauer (Willington, Conn./E.O. Smith) notched two base-hits, one run, one RBI and one stolen base. Sophomore Will Comerford (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) chipped in with two base knocks.
Senior Tyler Spofford (Sharon Springs, N.Y./Berkshire) led the Mass-Maritime game one attack, hitting a perfect 3-for-3 with a homerun, two runs scored and two RBI, while sophomore Will Rodriguez (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI. Junior Joe Albano (Agawam, Mass./Loomis Chafee) was also solid, adding two singles for the Buccaneers.
Mass Maritime opened the contest with an early 5-0 lead, but Fitchburg State rallied back with a three run third inning to cut the Buccaneer lead to only two. Sauer started the Falcon rally with an RBI base-hit to right field, while senior Kris Breen (Griswold, Conn./Griswold) and Graham connected for back-to-back base knocks to plate one runner apiece.
The Buccaneers added three more runs over the fifth and sixth frames to clinch their tenth victory of the season. Spofford padded the Maritime lead with an RBI single in the fifth inning, while Rodriguez and sophomore Corey Murphy (East Wareham, Mass./Wareham) belted RBI singles in the sixth.
Freshman Perry Russo (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) suffered his first loss of the season for the Falcons (3-1), yielding four runs (three earned) and five hits over two innings pitched. Sophomore Nick Levitre (Grafton, Mass./Grafton) earned the victory for the Bucs (3-1), tossing a complete game,, nine-hitter, allowing four earned runs with three strikeouts.
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Fitchburg State 8, Mass Maritime 5
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Fitchburg State battled in game two, earning a doubleheader split as sophomore John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) hit a perfect 3-for-3 with a homerun, two runs scored and two RBI. Freshman Michal Mercier (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards) was also solid with a 2-for-3 performance, including two runs scored and one RBI, while Sauer registered a base-hit and two RBI.
Paving the way for Mass Maritime was Spofford who notched a base-hit, one run scored and two RBI, while Rodriguez hit 1-for-3 with a double and two runs. Freshman Nick Montalto (South Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) was also strong, going 1-for-2 with a double and one run scored.
Mass Maritime came out firing again in game two, holding a 5-3 lead after two innings of play, but junior Marshall Miller, III (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) held the Buccaneers silent with 5.1 innings of relief to keep Fitchburg State within striking distance. The Falcons continued to chip away at the Maritime lead, posting single runs in the third and fourth innings to knot the game at 5-5. Morrison led the Falcons fourth inning charge with an RBI sac fly, while Phelan tied the game with a solo blast (1) to right field.
Fitchburg State continued its fire power in the bottom of the fifth inning, plating three runs on three hits to secure its 15th victory of the season. Phelan started the Falcons scoring with an RBI single to right field, while Sauer capped the rally with two RBIs on the laced single through the right side.
Miller earned the victory for the Falcons (2-1), tossing 5.1 innings of shutout baseball in relief. The junior hurler allowed only three hits two walks, while fanning six. Murphy suffered the loss for the Bucs (1-5), yielding three unearned runs in one inning of relief.
Fitchburg State (16-14, 4-8 MASCAC) will be in action again Wednesday as it travels to Becker College at 3:30 p.m. Mass Maritime (10-14, 2-8 MASCAC) will host Wentworth on Friday at 3 p.m.