Fitchburg State Sweeps Past Salem State

Gildea finishes 5-for-6 to lead Falcons over Vikings on senior day

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University Softball team collected a swept of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletics Conference (MASCAC) rival Salem State by the scores of 3-2 and 9-7 this afternoon on senior day at the Donna-Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field.

Fitchburg State 3, Salem State 2 (Game 1)

In the opening contest, sophomore Katie Gildea paced the Falcons, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one run scored, while newcomer Maddie Medina hit 1-for-3 with a double, one stole base and three RBI. For Salem State, senior Rebecca Krigman finished 1-for-3, including a double and a pair of RBI, while sophomore Marisa Sanchez added one hit and a run scored.

In the circle, junior Galen Kerr went the distance for the Green and Gold, allowing two runs (1 earned) on four hits and nine K's to collect the win, while sophomore Meghan Black took the loss for the Vikings, giving up three runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Salem State took the lead in the top of the fourth as junior Jess Raymond reached on a throwing miscue, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Krigman for the 1-0 margin.

Fitchburg State responded with three runs in the bottom half of the fourth when Gildea singled, advanced to second on fielder's choice, moved to third on fielding miscue before Medina laced a bases clearing double that plated Gildea, Kerr and senior Brianna Uga to make the score 3-1.

The Vikings cut the deficit to one (3-2) in the top of the sixth as Sanchez singled, moved to second on sacrifice and crossed the plated on a two-out double from Krigman. But that's as close as Salem State would get as Kerr shut the door in the seventh, resulting in the 3-2 final.

Fitchburg State 9, Salem State 7 (Game 2)

In the night cap, Fitchburg State jumped out to an early 6-0 advantage in the opening frame when Gildea singled in senior Marissa Gemma, while freshman Michelle LeBlanc ripped a two-run single to right field that scored classmate Kaylee Sylvestre and Gilda.

The Vikings cut into the lead in the top of the third as sophomore Jen Crovo doubled, moved to second on sacrifice bunt and came in to score on a ground out off the bat of Krigman to make the score 6-1.

After Salem State plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth (6-3). Fitchburg State upped its margin in their half of the fifth when Gildea doubled, moved to third on wild before Uga drove in pinch runner Kelsea LeBlanc, while M. LeBlanc followed with two-run single that plated  Sylvestre and Uga for the 9-3 margin.

The Vikings battled back, however in the top of the sixth, crossing the plate four times as freshman Gabryanna Cardenas drove in Raymond and classmate Chloe Manousos, while Crovo added a two-run singled to score both sophomore Marissa Pari and Manousos to make the score 9-7. But Kerr would close the game in relief for the Falcons, picking up her first save on the season, resulting in the 9-7 game two final.

M. LeBlanc ignited the Falcons game two offense, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a career best four RBI, while Gilda went 2-for-3, including a double, one run scored and one RBI. For the Vikings, Crovo finished 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a pair of RBI, while Cardenas hit 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and one run scored.

On the bump, Sylvestre collected the win for the Falcons, yielding seven runs (3 earned) on eight hits and four strikeouts in six innings of work, while sophomore Lleisha Burney suffer the loss for Salem State, giving up nine runs (4 earned) on 12 hits in the complete game effort.

Fitchburg State (19-17, 7-7 MASCAC) clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming MASCAC softball tournament and will host the fifth seeded Vikings of Salem State (11-21, 6-8 MASCAC) on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Follow the Falcons on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!