Falcons Race Past Trailblazers

Falcons Race Past Trailblazers

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State baseball team defeated the Trailblazers of MCLA 14-9 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Thursday afternoon at Riccards Field.

The Basics
Score: Fitchburg State 14, MCLA 9
Records: Fitchburg State (16-15, 7-9 MASCAC) | MCLA (8-24, 2-14 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Senior Austin Rachiele (Pittsfield, Mass.) led off the game with a home run to right field to give the Trailblazers the early 1-0 lead.

The Green and Gold answered back in the bottom of the second inning. With the bases full of Falcons, brothers Matthew and Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, Mass.)  delivered RBI hits to take a 2-1 lead. Two batters later Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, Mass.) belted a two-run homer to up the lead to 5-1.

MCLA chipped away at the lead with a home run from Josh Bologh (Waterbury, Conn.) and a sacrifice fly from Clarence Givhans (Brooklyn, NY) to cut the deficit to 5-4 in the top of the sixth.

Fitchburg State broke the game open in the bottom of the frame. After capitalizing on a pair of miscues from the Trailblazers for a run, Matthew Smith (Flanders, NJ) plated a pair of runs with a double to right center. Smith scored on Vincent Eramo's (Shirley, Mass.) sixth home run of the season to push the Falcons' advantage to 10-4.

The hosts upped the lead to 14-4 with four more runs in the seventh. Nolan Hills (Danvers, Mass.) singled to right field scoring Cole DuHaime (Warminster, Penn.) who had pinch-ran for Adam Koza (Windham, Mass.) after opening the inning with a walk. Hurrell followed with an RBI single to right field scoring Hills.

In the top of the ninth MCLA put a four-spot on the board, Randy Adams (Fullerton, CA) delivered a bases-clearing double to right center resulting in the 14-9 final.

Inside the Numbers

• With the home run in the 6^th inning, Eramo tied the program's all-time mark for career RBIs at 113. Eramo was 2-for-5 on the day.
• Hurrell was 3-for-5 with a home run, two stolen bases, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs
• For the Trailblazers Rachiele was 4-for-4 with a home run, 2 doubles, three runs, and an RBI
• Orion Daily (Nantucket, Mass.)  pitched six strong innings for the Falcons, allowing four runs on 8 hits. Five walks, and 3 strikeouts to earn the victory
• Nate Morse (Holyoke, Mass.) suffered the setback for the Trailblazers allowing 7 runs on 6 hits, with 2 walks and 2 Ks

Up Next

Both teams are back at it again tomorrow in North Adams for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 PM