Falcons Notch Conference Split With Buccaneers

Eramo blasts pair of home runs for Green and Gold

Buzzards Bay, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University Baseball team registered a split with the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime Academy in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from Hendry Field this afternoon as the Falcons earned an 8-7, game one triumph before being edged 4-2 in the night cap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 8, Mass. Maritime 7 (GM1)
Score: Fitchburg State 2, Mass. Maritime 4 (GM2)

Records: Fitchburg State (12-12, 3-6 MASCAC) I Mass. Maritime (14-12, 4-5 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Fitchburg State raced out to an early 5-0 advantage in the top of the first as sophomore Liam Goldstein (Charlestown, R.I.) laced an RBI double to right center to score junior Matthew Kelly (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) before senior Vincent Eramo (Shirley, Mass.) and sophomore Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, Mass.) added two-run home runs for the Green and Gold.

The Falcons upped the advantage to 6-0 in the following frame with Eramo connecting on an RBI double to left center that scored Goldstein. Mass Maritime responded in the bottom of the third when senior John Tropea (East Sandwich, Mass.) drove in classmate Frank Aten (Brockton, Mass.) and junior Brett Velzis (Cypress, Tex.) with a two-run double, while junior AJ Pietrafesa (Harwinton, Conn.) and senior Chris Perito (E. Falmouth, Mass.) added RBI's to make the score 6-4.

The Buccaneers grabbed the lead in the bottom of the sixth as senior Aidan Henderson (Hanover, Mass.) notched an RBI ground out to score sophomore Michael Estrada (Covington, La.) for the 7-6 edge.

Trailing 7-6 going into the top of the seventh, the Green and Gold secured the victory with Kelly singling to left field and following a sacrifice bunt, Eramo connected on his second two-run home run of the contest, resulting in the 8-7, game one final.

By The Numbers

• Eramo led the way for the Falcons, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, two runs scored and five RBI
• Hurrell went 1-for-2 with a home run, one run scored and two RBI
• Graduate student Lowell Pare (Leominster, Mass.) earned the win for Fitchburg State, allowing just two hits with three strikeouts over 1.2 innings of relief
• For the Buccaneers, Topea hit 1-for-3 with a double, one run scored and two RBIJunior Nolan Kennedy (Auburn, Mass.) suffered the loss for Mass. Maritime, yielding two runs on two hits with one strikeout over two innings pitched

Game Two

Mass. Maritime took a 1-0 margin in the bottom of the second as Aten homered to left field before Fitchburg State answered back in the bottom of the third when Eramo ripped a two-run double to left field to score Mt Kelly and junior Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) for the 2-1 lead.

The Buccaneers regained the lead in their half of the third with Perito and freshman Micheal Logiudice (Bridgewater, Mass.) crossing the plate on a miscue for the 3-2 advantage. The hosts added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth when Henderson doubled to left center to drive in Pietrafes, resulting in the 4-2, game two final.

By The Numbers

• Eramo paced the Falcons, going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI
• Matt Kelly went 2-for-4 with a run scored
• Freshman Adam Wholley (Londonderry, N.H.) took the loss for Fitchburg State, giving up four runs (2 earned) on five hits with four punchout in five innings pitched
• For the Buccaneers, Aten hit 1-for-3 with a home run, one run scored and an RBI
• Senior Brodey Tinkham (Norton, Mass.) picked up the win for Mass. Maritime, allowing two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work
• 83rd meeting between the Falcons and Buccaneers on the baseball diamond with Fitchburg State 34-48 all-time when taking on Mass. Maritime

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Monday as they travel to Worcester State to take on the Lancers in MASCAC action, starting at 12:00PM.