Amherst Rallies Past Fitchburg State

Falcons fall twice in season-ending twinbill

FITCHBURG, Mass. (May 2, 2010) - The Fitchburg State baseball team closed out its 2010 season this afternoon as it played host to Amherst College for a non-conference doubleheader. The Falcons drew a 9-4 setback in game one before closing with a 7-5 defeat in game two.

Amherst 9, Fitchburg State 4

In the opener, Amherst used a solid pitching performance from senior Teddy Blank (Waban, Mass./Belmont Hill) to pick up its 19th victory of the season as the Jeffs limited Fitchburg State to just five hits in the contest.

Blank went the distance for the Jeffs, notching ten strikeouts with four runs allowed throughout seven innings of work. Senior Marshall Miller (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) took the loss for Fitchburg State, yielding six runs (five earned) and nine hits through four innings pitched.

After both teams touched for single runs in the first inning, Amherst rallied off five straight runs to post a commanding 6-1 advantage. Junior Bryce Einhorn (Scarsdale, N.Y./Edgemont) sparked the Jeffs scoring with a two-run homerun in the second, while classmate Scott Shaffer (Boulder, Col./Boulder) collected a RBI single in the third.

Fitchburg State inched closer with three runs in the fifth frame as junior Ricky Graham (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) laced a run-scoring single, but Amherst tallied three more runs over the final two innings to secure its victory. The Jeffs plated a pair of runs in the sixth off sophomore John Wagner’s (Evanston, Ill/Evanston) RBI single, while adding one run in the seventh after Nolan Stewarts (New Cannan, Conn./Choate School) lead-off double.

Graham led the Falcons offense, hitting 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and one RBI, while classmate John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) added a pair of hits. Sophomore Will Goodwin (Swarthorne, Penn./Strath Haven) led the Jeffs’ attack with a  3-for-4 day, while Einhorn finished 2-for-3 with a homerun, three runs scored and three RBI.

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Amherst 7, Fitchburg State 5

In the nightcap, Fitchburg State came out the gates gunning with a quick 5-0 lead but Amherst rallied late, using a four-run fifth inning to complete the non-conference sweep.

Fitchburg State got on the board early in the first inning as sophomore Michal Mercier (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards) blasted a two-run triple to right center field. The Falcons continued their momentum over the next two frames as Phelan and Graham combined for three RBI to give Fitchburg State a comfortable five run lead. Phelan belted a two-run double in the second frame, while Graham capped the scoring with a towering homerun in the third.

Over the next four innings, Amherst began to rally back, posting seven straight runs for its 20th victory of the season. Sophomore Mike Samela (Westport, Conn./Staples) sparked the Jeffs’ comeback with a RBI triple and homerun off the bench, while Shaffer added a single and a run scoring double.

At the plate, Fitchburg State belted out 12 hits in the contest led by the hot-swing of John Phelan. Phelan finished the contest 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while Graham went 2-for-3 with a homerun, two runs scored and one RBI. Senior Matt Morrison (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) added a pair of hits to the Falcons offense, while sophomore Eric O’Reilly (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) posted two singles.

On the hill, junior Steve Donah (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam) suffered the loss for the Falcons, surrendering six runs (four earned) and nine hits of 4.1 innings of work. Amherst junior Pat Harris (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) earned the victory in relief, tossing 2.1 innings of shutout work, while senior John D’Angelo (Woodbridge, Conn./Amity) collected his second save of the season.

Fitchburg State closes out its 2010 campaign with an overall record of 15-19 and a 6-8 clip in the MASCAC, while Amherst (20-11, 7-5 NESCAC) awaits its seeding for the NESCAC Tournament.

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