Worcester State Upends Fitchburg State, 7-0/5-3

Falcons downed, 7-0 in game one: edged 5-3 in the nightcap

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 23, 2013) – The Fitchburg State softball team dropped a pair of decisions to Worcester State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action this afternoon at Coolidge Park. The Falcons fell, 7-0 in the opener before dropping the nightcap, 5-3

Worcester State 7, Fitchburg State 0 (Game 1)

In the opener, Worcester State jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning as junior Hillary Hart (Clinton, Mass./Clinton) and sophomore Taylor Hanley (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) opened the stanza with back-to-back singlse before freshman Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) plated both runners with an RBI double to right field for the 2-0 margin.       

The Lancers upped their lead (3-0) in the following frame when senior Kylene Pease (Ashland, Mass./Ashland) drew a one out walk, stole second and crossed the plate on a base hit by Hart.

The visitors posted a pair of runs in the top half of the sixth on an RBI ground by Terry and a throwing error before securing the game one victory with two more runs in the seventh frame on a pair of run scoring hits by senior Hannah Everson (Methuen, Mass./Methuen) and Hanley, resulting in the 7-0 final.

Terry led the Lancers game one offense, hitting 2-for-4 with a double, and two RBI, while Hart and Hanley combined for four hits including four runs scored and two RBI. Juniors Katelyn Fitzgerald (Fitchburg, Mass./Saint Bernards) and Allison Page (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) and sophomore Amanda Whitelaw (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) collected one hit each for Fitchburg State.

On the mound, sophomore Brittany Whiting (Sharon, Mass./Sharon) suffered the loss for the Falcons, yielding seven runs (five earned) on seven hits with nine strikeouts in the complete game effort, while Everson pick up the victory for Worcester State, allowing just three hits (four K's) in seven innings of work.

Worcester State 5, Fitchburg State 3 (Game 2) 

In the nightcap, Worcester State withstood a late rally by the Falcons to hold on for the 5-3 game two victory to complete the sweep. With the win, Worcester State improves to 18-13 on the season and 8-4 in conference play, while Fitchburg State falls to 14-20 on the year and 6-6 in the MASCAC.

Page was solid for the Falcons, going 2-for-3 at the dish with a double and one run scored, while junior Kerry Alcott (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) aided the offense with a single and two RBI. For Worcester State, senior Aimee Lamoureux (E. Brookfield, Mass./David Prouty) went a perfect 3-for-3  at the plate with a double, triple and a pair of RBI, while Pease added a double and one RBi.

In the circle, freshman Meghan Rich (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) improved to 9-4 on the season, giving up three unearned runs on five hits in six innings of work for the Lancers, while Alcott took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits with six K's in the complete game effort for Fitchburg State

Worcester State opened the scoring in the first inning of play as Pease walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a fielding miscue for the 1-0 lead.

In the fourth frame, the Lancers posted a pair of runs on an RBI ground out by Rich to score Hart, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the frame before Lamoureux blasted an RBI triple to deep right field to drive in Terry  to make the score 3-0.

The Falcons broke their scoring silence in the bottom of the sixth inning when freshman Tori Cyrus (Everett, Mass./Everett) reached on a field choice and eventually scored on a throwing error before Alcott laced bases loaded single down the left field line to bring home both Page and sophomore Colleen Flaherty (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) to cut the lead to 4-3.

Worcester State capped the scoring in the final stanza, adding an insurance run as junior Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, Mass./.Shepherd Hill) beat out an infield single, stole second and crossed the plate on an RBI double by Pease, resulting in the 5-3 final.

Fitchburg State (14-20, 6-6 MASCAC) returns to action on Thursday as it visits the Bison of Nichols College for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. Worcester State (18-13, 8-4 MASCAC) will visit Brandeis University on Thursday for a twin billing starting at 4 p.m.