Ramapo Edges Fitchburg State, 2-1

Phelan and Boice collect lone Falcons hits in non-conference setback

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 15, 2011) – The Fitchburg State baseball team battled Ramapo College (N.J.) this afternoon, falling 2-1 in a nine-inning showdown at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex.

Fitchburg State grabbed the first lead of the contest in the top of the third inning as senior John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) connected for an RBI double to right center. Freshman David Mason (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) notched a leadoff walk to off the inning, moved to second on a Falcon groundout and later scored as Phelan blasted a line drive into the gap.

Ramapo evened the score in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of a costly Falcon error but also touched for a single run in the sixth to post a 2-1 lead and the eventual game-winner. The Roadrunners manufactured the game-winning run as junior Dan Mauriello (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) kicked off the inning with a hit-by-pitch. Following a sacrifice bunt, junior Joseph Somma (Toms River, N.J./Toms River) then connected for a single to force a first and third situation and Mauriello later scored on a 1-3 put-out by senior Pat Driscoll (Sparta, N.J./Sparta).  

Sophomore Frank Baldini (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) was lights out on the mound for the Roadrunners, tossing a complete game, two-hitter. He finished the contest with 12 strikeouts, while limiting the Falcons to only three base-runners all game. Baldini squandered a superb start from Falcon junior Perry Russo (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) who tossed the first 5.1 innings for the Fitchburg State. Russo yielded only one earned run in the contest, scattering five hits to go with six strikeouts.

Fitchburg State (2-4, 0-0 MASCAC) will be back in action tomorrow as it battles Rhode Island College in a doubleheader starting at 9:30 a.m. Ramapo (6-0, 0-0 NJAC) will face Albright College tomorrow at 1 p.m.