Plymouth State Ends Fitchburg State’s Winning Streak

Falcons fall 11-0 in game one; suffer 7-1 setback in the nightcap

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 11, 2012) – The Fitchburg State softball team saw its six game winning streak come to an end after falling to Plymouth State University, 11-0 and 7-1 in non-conference action this afternoon.

Plymouth State 11, Fitchburg State 0 (Game 1)

Sophomore Bekah Jackson (Nashua, N.H./North) belted a three-run home run to highlight an eight-run first inning as Plymouth State cruised to an 11-0 victory in game one. Sophomore Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.) also collected two hits in each game as the Panthers swept a twin bill for the second straight day. 

The Panthers sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning of the opener, with all eight runs unearned due to four Falcon errors. Sophomore Sam Hebert (Manchester, N.H./Memorial), freshman Kristina Bove (Medford, Mass.) and sophomore Taylor Mancini (Gansevoort, N.Y.) all delivered RBI singles for the home team before Jackson cracked her second homer of the season to left field.

PSU tacked on three more runs in the second inning.  After Digman reached on a one-out double, freshman Cynthia Barata (New Fairfield, Conn.) singled to bring home a run, Bove followed with an RBI double and an error led to the third run.

Sophomore pitcher Nora Galvin (Windham, N.H.) was on her game for the Panthers, allowing just one hit and one walk in four innings while striking out eight to even her record at 5-5.  Sophomore Emily Pomer (Groveland, Mass.) got the only Falcon hit, a one-out single in the second inning.

Plymouth State 7, Fitchburg State 1 (Game 2)

In the second contest of the day, Plymouth State again notched a double-digit hit attack as junior Calli DeGrace (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth Regional) collected a trio of hits in the 7-1 victory.

The Panthers got on the board in the first inning again, plating three runs thanks to RBI singles by DeGrace, Digman, and Hebert.  The Panthers pulled away with three unearned runs in the third and fourth innings, and closed out the scoring in the sixth on an RBI single by senior Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, R.I.).

Fitchburg State finally broke through with a run in the top of the seventh inning as freshman Kayla Philbrick (Chicopee, Mass.) led off with a single up the middle, and after two infield outs, scored on Pomer's single to center.

Plymouth State freshman pitcher Brittany Orcutt (Cheshire, Conn.) posted the first win of her career with a complete-game effort, allowing just one run on three hits and no walks, striking out three.

Fitchburg State (9-17, 2-2 MASCAC) will be back in action this Saturday as it host Bridgewater State University at 1 p.m. Plymouth State (9-13, 1-3 LEC) will play host to UMass Dartmouth at 1 p.m.