Falcons Sweep Vikings In MASCAC Double Header

Cahill and Leveille collect victories for the Green and Gold 

Salem, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team swept a pair of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contests from the Vikings of Salem State by the scores of 10-8 and 11-3 this afternoon from Alumni Field.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 10, Salem State 8 (GM1)

Score: Fitchburg State 11, Salem State 3 (GM 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (5-14, 2-2 MASCAC) I Salem State (7-13, 0-4 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Fitchburg State erupted for seven runs in the opening frame as sophomore Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.), senior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.), classmate Madison Mantegani (Bellingham, Mass.) and sophomore Ella Marshall (Gloucester, Mass.) notched RBI base hits, while sophomore Isabella Sousa (Charlton, Mass.) laced a two-run base knock.

Salem State answered back in their half of the first with senior Rebecca Walker (Lynn, Mass.) and junior Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) registered RBI doubles to make the score 7-3. The Falcons upped the lead to 8-3 in the top of the second when junior Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, Conn.) brought in sophomore Kiara Bigeau (Clinton, Mass.) with a ground out.

The Vikings trimmed the deficit to 8-5 in the bottom of the third frame as junior Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.) ripped an RBI double tp right center before newcomer Sydney Rodriguez (Brighton, Colo.) followed with a run scoring single.

The Green and Gold pushed the advantage to 10-5 in the top of the fourth when Mantegani singled through the left side to plate Kirkconnell and Sousa. The hosts rallied in the bottom half of the fourth with sophomore Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.) blasting a three-run shot to left field but the Falcons would hold on for the 10-8, game one victory.

Inside the Numbers

• Mantegani paced the Falcons, going 4-for-5 with one run scored and three RBI
• Cisowski, Grass and Cahill added two hits each for the Green and Gold
• Cahill earned the win for Fitchburg State, allowing eight runs (6 earned) on 11 hits with four K's in the complete game effort
• For the Vikings, Eisnor hit 2-for-4 with a home run, one run scored and three RBI
• Junio Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.) took the loss for Salem State, yielding  ten runs (7 earned) on 12 hits and three strikeouts over 3.1 innings pitched

Game Two

Fitchburg State grabbed a 2-0 edge in the top of the second when freshman Madison Lashua (Gardner, Mass.) drew a bases-loaded walk to score Gauvin, while classmate Kata DiRusso (Medford, Mass.) followed with an RBI fielders' choice that plated Kirkconnell.

The Falcons extended the lead to 3-0 in the following stanza as Gauvin reached on a fielders' choice to bring in Grass. The Green and Gold pushed the margin to 5-0 in the top of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs on a passed ball.

Salem State responded in the bottom of the fifth with Eisnor notching an RBI ground to make the score 5-1 before the Vikings trimmed the deficit to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Walker collected a two-run single that scored freshman Allison Frost (Auburn, Mass.) and sophomore Emily Henning (Grafton, Mass.).

The Green and Gold secured the swept in the top of the seventh when freshman Adria Stys (Lowell, Mass.) connected on a two-run single, while Kirkconnell, Lashua and Mantegani added RBI base hits, resulting in the 11-3, game two final.

Inside the Numbers

• 91^st meeting between Fitchburg State and Salem State on the softball field with the Falcons 43-48 all-time when taking on the Vikings
• Stys led the way for the Falcons, hitting 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI
• Kirkconnell finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for the Green and Gold
• Sophomore Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, Conn.) collected the victory for Fitchburg State, giving up three runs on five hits with seven punchouts over seven innings pitched
• For the Vikings, Walker went 2-for-3 with a double, one run scored and two RBI
• Junior Hailey Langenfeld (Hardyston, N.J.) suffered the setback for Salem State, allowing seven runs (6 earned) on nine hits over 2.1 innings of work

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Monday as they travel to Bay Path to take on the Wildcats for a non-conference twin bill, starting at 3:00PM.