Falcons Clipped By Owls In MASCAC Opening Round

Cahill strikeouts nine for Green and Gold 

Westfield, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team suffered a tough 2-1 setback to the Owls of Westfield State in opening round action of the 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Post-Season Tournament from Alumni Park.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Westfield State 2

Records: Fitchburg State (15-23, 7-7 MASCAC) I Westfield State (23-16, 9-5 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Fitchburg State nearly took the lead in the top of the second as sophomore Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.) drew a lead off walk, move to second and third on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of classmate Kiara Bigeau (Clinton, Mass.) and a wild pitch, but Westfield State hurler Stepanie Scoville (Northfield, Mass.) worked out of the jam unscathed.

Westfield State broke the 0-0 stalemate in the bottom of the third when freshman Sarah Hough (Southwick, Mass.) singled to third and advanced to second on a throwing miscue before classmate Mia Alfonso (Dalton, Mass.) doubled to center field, scoring Hough for the 1-0 edge.

The Falcons knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth with junior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) singling up the middle and crossing the plate on an RBI double to right center from senior Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.).

The Owls secured the victory however in the bottom half of the seventh when graduate student Meghan Doyle (Marshfield, Mass.) singled, moved to second on a walk by Hough, setting the stages for a walk-off single to right field from Alfonso, plating pinch runner Liana Silva (New Britain, Conn.), resulting in the 2-1 final.

Inside the Numbers

• 91st meeting between Fitchburg State and Westfield State on the softball field with the Falcons 27-64 all-time when taking on the Owls
• Grass paced the Falcons, hitting 1-of-3 with a double and an RBI
• Cisowski went 1-for-3 with a run scored for the Green and Gold
• Senior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, allowing two runs on eight hits with nine K's over 6.2 innings of work
• For the Owls, Alfonso hit 2-of-4 with a double and two RBI
• Scoville picked up the win for Westfield State, yielding one run on five hits and two strikeouts in the complete game effort

Up Next

Falcons conclude their 2023 campaign with an overall record of 15-23 and a 7-7 clip withing conference play.