Softball Sweeps Buccaneers In Conference Double Header

Cahill and Mueller guide Green and Gold to conference sweep

Fitchburg, MA: The Fitchburg State Softball Team collected a sweep over the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime Academy this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from the Donna Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field as the Falcons took game one by a score of 3-1 before securing the sweep with a 5-4, eight inning triumph in the nightcap.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 4//9/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 3, Mass Maritime 1 (GM1)

- Score: Fitchburg State 5, Mass. Maritime 4 (8 Inn) (GM2)

- Records: Fitchburg State (7-13, 2-2 MASCAC), Mass. Maritime (9-9. 0-8 MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  Mass. Maritime opened the scoring in the top of the first as junior Reagan Kerecz (Tolland, CT) doubled to left center and scored on an RBI double to right center off the bat of freshman Sarah Holler (Hingham, MA) for the 1-0 edge. Fitchburg State grabbed the lead in their half of the first when junior Julia Gauvin (Granby, MA) singled  up the middle, moved to third on a double from senior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, CT) before newcomer Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) laced a two run single to right center, scoring Gauvin and Cisowski for the 2-1 advantage.

- The Falcons pushed the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third with senior Molly Grass (Rockland, MA) doubling to left field and crossing the plate on an RBI single to center field off the bat of Cisowski. The score would remain 3-1 with the Falcons securing the game one victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

-  Gauvin led the way for the Falcons, hitting 3-for-3 with a double and one run scored

-  Mueller finished 1-for-3 with two RBI for the Green and Gold

-  Senior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, MA) earned the win for Fitchburg State, allowing one run on three hits with six K's and one walk in the complete game effort

-  For the Buccaneers, Holler hit 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI

-  Kerecz chipped in with one hit, including a double and a run scored

-  Junior Jeenamarie Klemp (Onset, MA) suffered the setback for Mass. Maritime, giving up three runs on seven hits as well as five strikeouts over six innings pitched

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Fitchburg State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Cisowski tripled down the right field line and crossed the plate on an RBI single through the left side. Mass. Maritime answered in the top of the third when sophomore Hannah Burton (E. Bridgewater, MA) reached on a fielders' choice and scored on an RBI double off the bat of classmate Kelsey Booker (Coming, NY), while Holler followed with an RBI single to right center, plating Booker for the 2-1 margin.

- The Falcons knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom half of the third with Cisowski ripping a double to right field, advancing to third on a passed ball and coming home on a sacrifice fly to left field from Mueller. The Buccaneers regained the lead in the top of the fourth as Kerecz singled to right center, scoring freshman Ryleigh Ward (Enterprise AL), while Burton added an RBI single up the middle, scoring sophomore Olivia Coffren (E. Hampton, CT) for the 4-2 lead.

- The Green and Gold responded in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases on singles by senior Allison Pogorek (Millbury, MA), Grass and Gauvin before Cisowski brought in Pogorek with an RBI groundout to cut the lead to 4-3. Fitchburg State retied the contest at 4-4 in the following frame as sophomore Adria McKenzie (Lowell, MA) walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single through the right side by junior Ella Marshall (Gloucester, MA).

- The Falcons secured the victory in the bottom of the eighth with Grass ripping a leadoff double to right field, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Gauvin and scored the winning run as Mueller singled to right center, plating Grass for the 5-4, game two triumph.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This afternoon's contest marked the 61st meeting between the two teams on softball field with the Falcons 60-1 all-time when taking on the Buccaneers

-  Mueller paced the Falcons, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI

-  Cisowski added two hits, including a double, triple, two runs scored and one RBI

-  Sophomore Madison Solt (Salem, NH) yielded four runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and three walks over six innings of work in a no decision for Fitchburg State

-  For the Buccaneers, Kerecz hit 3-of-4 with an RBI

-  Booker added one hit, including a double, one run scored and an RBI

-  Freshman Ashleigh Catlett (Prince Frederick, MD) took the loss for Mass. Maritime, allowing five runs on 13 hits as well as four K's and three walks over 7.2 innings of work

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action on Saturday as they host the Bears of Bridgewater State for a MASCAC twin bill, starting at 12:00PM.

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