Vassar Rallies Past Fitchburg State, 11-7

Phelan and DiMauro combine for four hits, three runs and four RBI in setback

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 14, 2011) – The Fitchburg State baseball team suffered its third loss of the season, falling to Vassar College, 11-7 in non-conference action at Chain of Lakes Park (Winter Haven, Fla.) this afternoon. .

Vassar exploded for a six run, ninth inning rally to improve to a perfect 3-0 on the season, notching five hits in the frame. Freshman Zach Zakiski (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) lifted the Brewers with a key RBI double down the left-field line, while classmate Dave Robbins (Rumson, N.J./Rumson Fair-Haven) cashed in with the game-tying RBI single.

The Brewers opened the contest with an early 3-0 lead as senior Devon Luongo (Hillsborough, Calif./Crystal Springs) connected for a three-run homerun, but the Falcons responded in the bottom of the frame, posting two runs on four hits to cut the Brewer lead to one.

Senior John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) led off the inning with a double down the right field line and later scored as classmate Erik DiMauro (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) laced a single up the middle. Sophomore Cody Bamforth (Vernon, Conn./Rockville) continued the rally with a scorched RBI single through the right side, while senior Dave Alexander (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) added a line drive base-hit to left.

The Brewers gained a three-run advantage by the top of the fifth inning, using a sacrifice fly in the second and wild pitch in the fifth but Fitchburg State closed the Vassar margin to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh as DiMauro belted a sacrifice fly to drive in Phelan (2B). The Falcons then made it a one run contest as sophomore Matt Zajac (New Hartford, Conn./St. Paul) laced an RBI single through the left side to plate senior Nick Rocheleau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster).

The Falcons continued to battle down the stretch, rallying from three runs down to post a 6-5 lead in the ninth. DiMauro sparked the Falcons with the go-ahead RBI on a single through the right-sided, while senior Brian Ware (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) set up the game-tying run with a two-base missile to right center. The Falcons lead was short-lived however as the Brewers sported their six run rally and sophomore Max Frankel (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamoroneck) tossed a one-run ninth.    

Freshman Pat Mercier (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards) suffered the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing six runs and four hits while striking out four. Sophomore Will Dawson (Narragansett, R.I./Narragansett) worked the first 4.1 innings for the Falcons, allowing five runs on six hits in his Fitchburg State debut.

Phelan continued his hot-hitting this afternoon, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and one RBI, while DiMauro added two base-hits, a run scored and two RBI. Alexander finished the contest 2-for-4 with a double, while Bamforth and junior Eric O'Reilly (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) chipped in with two hits apiece.

Fitchburg State (2-3, 0-0 MASCAC) will be back in action tomorrow as it battles Ramapo College at 3:30 p.m. Vassar (3-0, 0-0 LL) will face Callaudet College on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.