Fitchburg State Collects Split Vs. Framingham State

Falcons fall 5-3 in game one, rebound for 5-1 victory in the nightcap

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April, 15, 2013) – The Fitchburg State softball team was in action this afternoon registering a 1-1 split with Framingham State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at Coolidge Park, The Falcons fell 5-3 in the opening contest before posting a 5-1 victory in the second game to earn the spilt.

Framingham State 5, Fitchburg State 3 (Game 1)

In game one, Framingham State rallied to score five runs over the final three innings of play to improve to 6-19 on the season, while Fitchburg State fell to 11-14 with the setback.

Framingham State was paced by senior Taylor Ezold (Westfield, Mass./Westfield), going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and one RBI, while sophomore Shelby Phillips (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) collected two hits, including a homerun, one RBI and a run scored.

The Falcons were led by junior Allison Page (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield), who finished with a double and one RBI, while freshman Marissa Gemma (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) collected a single and one RBI.

The Falcons opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, plating three runs on just one hit. Junior Ashley Forgues (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) started the inning off by reaching on a fielding error before classmate Marissa Binnall (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Cyrus then blasted a two-run double down the left field line and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Colleen Flaherty (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) for the 3-0 margin.

Fitchburg State started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning as sophomore Amanda Whitelaw (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) drew a leadoff walk and proceed to steal second base before crossing the plate on a one out double to right field by Page for the 1-0 margin.

The Rams took the lead for good in the top of the fifth frame when junior Andrea Smith (Milford, Mass./.Milford) laced a run scoring single through the left side before sophomore Tiffany Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass./Bishop Feehan) connected on a clutch two-run double to right field for the 3-1 advantage.

The visitors upped their lead in the following inning, plate a pair of runs on three hits as Phillips launched a solo homerun  over the left field fence for her fourth of the season and Ezold single home freshman Koutrney Kacian (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) for the 5-1 laed.

The Green and Gold battled back, scoring a run in the sixth and seventh innings, on a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Tori Cyrus (Everett, Mass./Everett) and an RBI single by Gemma but Rams hurler settled down to retire the final hitter to secure the 5-3 game one victory.

In the circle, sophomore Brittany Whiting (Sharon, Mass./Sharon) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on ten hits with nine K's, while senior Yaya Faria (Acton, Mass./.Acton-Boxborough) earned the win, giving up three runs (2 earned) on six hits, while striking out ten.

Fitchburg State 5, Framingham State 1 (Game 2)

In the nightcap, Fitchburg State rebounded, registering five runs on four hits in the 5-1 game two victory to earn the season spilt with Framingham State.

Following a scoreless first inning, Fitchburg State grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second innings, taking advantage of a pair of Rams miscues as Flaherty reached on a fielding error and later scored off a throwing error and Gemma drove in classmate Hailey Thibault (Swansea, Mass./Joseph Case) with a ground out to second base for the 2-0 lead.

The Falcons doubled their lead (4-0) in the next inning as Binnall walked to open the stanza and Whitelaw singled with one out to but runner on first and second before Thibault drew a walk to load the bases. Page then lined single down the left field line to score both Binnall and Whitelaw.

Framingham State broke its scoring silence in the top of the fourth inning when Agostini came home on a sacrifice fly from Phillips to cut the lead to 4-1 but the Falcons responded their half of the stanza on a sacrifice fly of their own by Binnall resulting in the 5-1 final.

Page paced the Falcons game two offense with a single and two RBI, while Fogures, Whitelaw and Cyrus each added one hit. For the Rams, Junior Alyssa Begin (Salem, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, while Agostini aided the offense with a pair of singles and one run scored.

On the mound, junior Kerry Alcott (Groton, Mass./Groton- Dunstable) earned the win, yieling one unearned run on seven hits with six strikeouts in the complete game effort for Fitchburg State, while freshman Alex Ferri (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop) suffered the setback, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits (2 K's) in four innings of work.

Fitchburg State (12-14, 4-4 MASCAC) returns to action on Wednesday as it visits the Engineers of WPI for a double header starting at 3 p.m.(Game will be played at Fitchburg State with WPI as the home team), Framingham State (6-20, 4-2  MASCAC) will travel to Becker College on Wednesday at 3 p.m.