Falcons Split With Rams At RussMatt Invitational

Drop opener 10-4; Rebound with 6-4 victory in nightcap 

Lake Myrtle, Fla. – The Fitchburg State University baseball team closed out its annual spring trip to Florida yesterday afternoon, splitting a non-conference double header with the Rams of Suffolk University at the Chain of Lake Park as the Falcons dropped the opener 10-4 before earning a 6-4 victory in the second contest.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 4, Suffolk 10 (Game One)

Score: Fitchburg State 6, Suffolk 4 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (6-4) I Suffolk (5-6)

How It Happened

Game One

Fitchburg State grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first as junior Joshua Macomber (Berkley, Mass.) single home sophomore Nicholas Cordeau (Melrose, Mass.) before Suffolk answered back with one run in the third and a pair of runs in the fourth for the 3-1 advantage.

The Falcons retied the contest (3-3) in the top of the fifth when Cordeau blasted a two run homer that brought home newcomer Brendan Ferrell (Plymouth, Mass.), but the Rams broke open the contest in the bottom half of the fifth with an RBI single and a grand slam for the 8-3 lead.

Trailing 10-3 going into the seventh, the Green and Gold threatened as Cordeau delivered a run scoring single to plate freshman Vincent Eramo (Shirley, Mass.), but that's as close as the Falcons would get as the Rams got of the jam, resulting in the 10-4 final.

Game Two

Suffolk took a 1-0 edge in the top of the fourth before Fitchburg State responded with six runs in the bottom of the fifth as Eramo and Ferrell connected on RBI singles, while junior Matthew Pingitore (Rutland, Mass.) laced a two run single that scored Eramo and junior Brennan Cuddahy (Leominster, Mass.) for the 6-1 advantage.

The Rams cut the deficit to 6-4 in the top of the seventh, sending eight hitters to plate, but the Falcons got an inning ending strike out, resulting in the 6-4 final.

Inside the Numbers

• 22nd meeting between two school with the Falcons 6-16 vs the Rams
• Cordeau led the way for Fitchburg State in the opener, hitting 2-for-3 with a homerun, two runs scored and three RBI
• Richard Sharp (Townsend, Mass.) went four innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts in a no decision for the Falcons
• Milliard paced the Falcons game two attack, going 4-for-4 with a run scored and two steals
• Aidan Ward (Dunstable, Mass.) earned the win for the Green and Gold, allowing one unearned run on five hits with four K's

Up Next

Falcons will travel to Anna Maria College to take on the Amcats on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup, starting at 3:00 PM. Rams will host the Engineers of MIT on the same date for a non-conference tilt at 4:00 PM.