Fitchburg State Battles In Twinbill Sweep

Falcons improve to 5-1 with doubleheader sweep

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March10, 2009) - The Fitchburg State baseball team improved to 5-1 on the season after sweeping a Monday afternoon twinbill. The Falcons posted a 13-4 victory over Emerson College before edging Bethany Lutheran, 9-7 in game two.

Fitchburg State 13, Emerson 4

MATT MORRISON

Junior Matt Morrison (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick)led the Fitchburg State 14-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with a double, one run scored and one RBI, while classmate Nick Rocheleau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) finished 2-for-5 with three runs scored, two RBI and his first collegiate homerun (1). Freshman Pat Hughes (North Port, Fla./North Port) was also solid, adding two hits with a single and his first homerun as a Falcon.

Emerson opened the scoring early with one run in the bottom of the first inning, but Fitchburg State rallied back in the top half of the second, registering six runs on three hits and three walks. Morrison, freshman Tom Dolan (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) and senior Kris Breen (Griswold, Conn./Griswold) started the rally with RBI base hits, while sophomore AJ Balderelli (Holland, Mass./Tantasqua Regional) capped the scoring with a two-out double to left center that plated two.

The Lions notched a single run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by junior Brian Kitison (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry), but Fitchburg State answered again with two runs in the top half of the fourth for an 8-2 lead. The Falcons loaded the bases on a pair of walks and error to start the inning before rookie Michal Mercier (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex) drove a single through the left side to plate senior Aaron Granahan (Thomaston, Conn./Thomaston) and Dolan.

The Falcons struck again in the top of the fifth, posting three runs on three hits to take a commanding 11-2 lead. Rocheleau and DiMauro opened the frame with back-to-back singles before Granahan launched a triple to right center to clear the bases. Granahan later scored on a sacrifice fly by Breen.

Fitchburg State sealed its fourth victory of the season in the final frame as Hughes and Rocheleau connected for back-to-back homeruns, giving the Falcons a 13-3 cushion.

Sophomore pitcher Steve Donah (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) picked up the victory for the Falcons (1-0), scattering three runs (two earned) and eight hits over six solid innings. Freshman Jeff Kolb (Barrington, R.I./Barrington) suffered the loss, yielding 11 runs (five earned) on ten hits over 4.1 innings of work. 

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Fitchburg State 9, Bethany Lutheran 7 

Breen led the Fitchburg State power attack in game two, hitting 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBI and his team-leading third homerun of the season. Senior Andy Sauer (Willington, Conn./E.O. Smith) finished 2-for-4 in the contest with a double, two runs scored and one RBI, while sophomore John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) added a single, triple and two runs scored.

Fitchburg State jumped on the board early, posting five runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Phelan got the 13 hit attack started with a lead-off triple while Sauer sliced a RBI double to left field. Two batters later, Graham pulled a RBI single through the right side while Mercier blasted a double to right center to plate two.

In the very next frame, the Falcons kept the offensive pressure rolling as Breen ripped a two-run homerun over the left center wall. Phelan ignited the rally with a lead-off single before Breen put Fitchburg State up 7-0 with his two run blast.

Bethany Lutheran answered in the top half of the third frame, striking four times on five hits to cut the Fitchburg State lead to three. After two consecutive bunt singles, junior Nick Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) and classmate Chris Porter (Ft. Dodge, Iowa/Iowa Central) posted back-to-back RBI doubles to plate three runs. Senior Wade Dollerschell (Olivia, Minn./Bold) capped the four run surge with an RBI single.

The Vikings inched closer with a single run in the fourth and eighth frame (7-6), but the Falcons posted three runs in the bottom of the eighth to seal their fifth victory of the season. Senior pitcher Jake Barbarotta (Pittsfield, Mass./Pittsfield) had a solid outing for the Falcons, allowing five earned runs over six innings, while striking out six. Junior Marshall Miller, III (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) threw solid in relief, yielding only one run (unearned) in two innings, while senior Dennis Jennette (East Brookfield, Mass./David Prouty) closed the door with his first save of the season.

Fitchburg State (5-1, 0-0 MASCAC) is back in action tomorrow as it battles the University of Dubuque in a twinbill starting at 9:30 a.m.

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