Baseball Upends Trailblazers In Conference Action

Hurrell and Mt Kelly drive three each for Green and Gold

Fitchburg, MA: The Fitchburg State baseball team defeated the Trailblazers of MCLA, 15-3 this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from Riccards Field.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 4/19/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 15, MCLA 3

- Records: Fitchburg State (8-20, 3-8 MASCAC), MCLA (5-19, 2-7 MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

-  Fitchburg State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as junior Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, MA) blasted a solo shot to left center for his team-leading seventh homerun of the season for the 1-0 advantage. MCLA knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth when graduate student Jayco Pena (Salem, MA) doubled to leftfield, moved to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI single through the right side from junior Carlos Varga (Bellerose, NY).

- The Falcons regained the lead in the bottom of fourth with sophomore Joseph Abt (Newbury, MA) singling through the right side, advancing to second on a single through the left side by classmate Adam Koza (Windham, NH) before Abt crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Matthew Smith (Flanders, NJ) for the 2-1 margin. The Trailblazers responded in the top of the fifth as junior Joshua Bissaillon (East Greenbush, NY) walked, newcomer Henry Blake (Brookfield, MA) singled up the middle and senior Ty Mazzeo (Averill Park, NY) walked to load the bases, while Pena laced a two run single to center field to make the score 3-2.

- The Green and Gold answered back in the bottom of the fifth with senior Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) collecting a single up the middle, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and throwing miscue before senior Matthew Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) drove in Max Kelly with a single through the right side, while Hurrell added a fielders' choice, scoring junior Devin Lorae (Canton, GA) for the 4-3 lead.

- Fitchburg State pushed the lead to 9-3 in the bottom of the sixth with Lorae reaching on a fielders' choice, scoring Smith before Mt Kelly, Hurrell and Abt followed with run scoring base knocks. The Falcons secured the victory in the following frame when Lorae crossed the plate on a fielding error, while freshman Luke Sterner (Stafford, VA) laced a two-run single, resulting in the 15-3 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This afternoon's contest marked the 90th between Fitchburg State and MCLA on the baseball diamond with the Falcons 39-50-1 all-time when taking on the Trailblazers

-  Hurrell led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-6 with a double, homerun, three runs scored and three RBI

-  Mt Kelly finished 4-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI for the Green and Gold

-  Senior Joseph Hartnett (North Andover, MA) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, allowing three runs on seven hits with seven K's and two walks over seven innings pitched

-  For the Trailblazers, Pena hit 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored

-  Blake chipped in with two hits and a run scored

-  Senior Rob Correia (Waterbury, CT) took the loss for MCLA, yielding six runs (5 earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk in 5.1 innings of work

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action tomorrow as they travel to MCLA to take on the Trailblazers in a conference twin bill, starting at 3:30PM.

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