Falcons Earn Split On Opening Day Of Fastpitch Dreams Classic

Drop 11-9 decision to Thiel; Earn 19-16 triumph over Dean in nightcap

Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The Fitchburg State softball team opened its 2022 season during its annual spring trip to Myrtle Beach this afternoon dropping an 11-9 decision to the Tomcats of Thiel College in the opener before collecting a 19-16, come from behind victory over the Bulldogs of Dean College in the night cap at the 2022 Fast Pitch Dreams Classic.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 9, Thiel 11 (Game One)

Records: Fitchburg State (0-1) | Thiel (3-0)

Score: Fitchburg State 19, Dean 16 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (1-1) | Dean (0-3)

How It Happened

In game one, Thiel took an early 5-0 lead in the top of the first as Dani Ficeti drove in a pair with a two-run single, while freshman Julianna Sloan (Kingsville, Ohio) and junior Lindsay Durboraw (Medford, N.J.) added RBI's.

Fitchburg State cut the lead to 6-4 in the bottom half of the third with freshman Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, Conn.) driving in sophomore Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, Conn.) and senior Morgan Cormier (Leominster, Mass.).

The Tomcats upped their lead (10-4) in the fifth when sophomore Melina Bufalini (Aliquippa, Penn.) delivered a two-run base knock before the Falcons trimmed the deficit to 10-7 on run scoring hits by freshman Isabella Sousa (Charlton, Mass.) and junior Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.). Thiel secured the victory however, plating an insurance run in the top of the seventh, resulting in the 11-9 final.

In game two, Dean grabbed a 9-0 advantage after two innings of play, but Fitchburg State answered in the top half of the third when Grass laced an RBI single through the left side, while Sousa and senior Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) followed with a two-run double and a two-run blast to make the score 9-5.

The Bulldogs extended their margin (14-9) in the bottom of the fourth, but the Green and Gold battled back to take a 16=14 advantage, scoring seven runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two run double off the bat of Grass and a two-run single from sophomore Mary Kate Moreau (Berkley, Mass.).

The Green and Gold tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth when sophomore Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) and Sousa notched a run scoring single and an RBI ground out, while Johnson added a sacrifice fly, resulting the 19-16 final.

Inside the Numbers

• Second meeting with the Falcons 0-2 vs the Tomcats
• Leveille paced the Falcons, going 1-for-2 with one run scored and three RBI
• Leveille suffered the setback, allowing eight runs on 12 hits with one K over five innings of work
• First ever meeting between the Falcons and Bulldogs in the circle
• Johnson led the way for the Falcons, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple, home run, two runs scored and four RBI
• Moreau earned her first collegiate win for Fitchburg State yielding eight runs (4 earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief
• Leveille picked up her first collegiate save
• With the win, head coach Merry MacDonald collected her 131st career victory to set the program's all-time career coaching wins record, surpassing the previous mark of 130 by former head coach Michelle Daley

Up Next

Falcons continue their 2022 spring trip tomorrow as they take on St. Elizabeth and Gettysburg at 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM.