Fitchburg State Sweeps Up Bridgewater State, 9-8/5-4

Martignetti lifts Falcons to game one victory; Lozada,Smith and Magni pace game two efforts

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 21, 2014) – The Fitchburg State baseball team registered its second consecutive MASCAC sweep as it hosted the Bears of Bridgewater State University this afternoon. The Falcons notched a 9-8 victory in game one before posting a 5-4 win in the nightcap.

With the wins, Fitchburg State improves to 21-12 on the season and 6-6 in the MASCAC, while Bridgewater State dips to 11-19 on the year and 4-6 in the league.

In the opener, the Falcons overcame an eight run deficit, scoring nine times over the final three innings for the victory. Fitchburg State touched for two runs in the fifth, before posting four runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh.

Sophomore Mike Martignetti (Boston, Mass.) led the Fitchburg State comeback, blasting the game-winning three run homerun over the left center fence. Classmate Dalton Wheeler (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) was also instrumental in the comeback; connecting for a solo homerun in the sixth, while junior Matt Higgins (Oxford, Mass.) and freshman Jake Dallaire (N. Attleboro, Mass.) added hits in the rally.

On the mound, freshman Tyler Smith (New Milford, Mass.) earned the victory in relief for the Falcons, tossing an inning of scoreless work. Junior Adam Mullen (Fairhaven, Mass.) suffered the loss for the Bears, yielding three earned runs and two walks in one-third of an inning pitched.

At the plate, junior Clayton Beaulieu (Chicopee, Mass.) and freshman Joe Lyons (W. Roxbury, Mass.) each had two hits for the Falcons, while Ryan Manning (Plainville, Mass.), Nick White (Bellingham, Mass.) and Shane Varnadore (Brockton, Mass.) had three hits apiece for the Bears.

In the night cap, Bridgewater State took an early 2-0 lead in the top half of the first innings, but Fitchburg State responded with single scores over the next three innings to take a 3-2 advantage. Senior David Mason (Leominster, Mass.) put the Falcons on the board in the first with an RBI single to drive in Steven Drury, Jr. (Ashburnham, Mass.), while Patrick McMahon (S. Windsor, Conn.) and Lyons added RBI's in the second and third inning respectively.

Fitchburg State added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth as junior Pierce Hans (Washington Township, N.J.) collected a sacrifice fly and sophomore Brendan Cutler (Clinton, Mass.) connected for an RBI single.

The Bears inched closer with a pair of runs in the sixth, but Tyler Smith came on again in relief to halt the Bridgewater State rally. Junior Ryan Magni (W. Springfield, Mass.) worked a scoreless seventh frame to clinch the victory of the Falcons and post his third save of the season.

On the offensive end, Drury reached base all three times for the Falcons with a walk, hit-by-pitch and single, while Mason, Maritgnetti and Beaulieu all added key hits for Fitchburg State. Manning and White both notched hits for the Bears.

Fitchburg State will be back in action on Wednesday as it hosts Eastern Nazarene College at 3:30 p.m.