Falcons Sweep Bulldogs In Non-Conference Double Header

Poulin collects first collegiate victory for Green and Gold 

Franklin, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team swept a double header from the Bulldogs of Dean College this afternoon in non-conference action from the Longley Athletic Comple by the scores of 22-14 and 12-1.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 22, Dean 14 (Game One)

Score: Fitchburg State 12, Dean 1 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (12-11) I Dean (2-13)

How It Happened

Game One

Fitchburg State opened the scoring in the top of the first as junior Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.) and freshman Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.) scored on wild pitches. Dean answered with five runs in the bottom half of the first, keyed by a two-run double from senior Bridget McDonough (North Reading, Mass.) for the 5-2 edge.

The Falcons knotted the score at 5-5 in the top of the second when junior Madison Mantegani (Bellingham, Mass.) and sophomore Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, Conn.) crossed the plate on a fielding miscue and a wild pitch.

With the score tied at 7-7, the Green and Gold regained the lead for good in the top of the fourth (11-7) with senior Lundyn Forcier (Woonsocket, R.I.), Kirkconnell and Grass notching RBI base knocks.

Fitchburg State would secured the victory in the following frame as newcomer Isabella Sousa (Charlton, Mass.) drove in Gauvin with a run scoring single, while senior Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) and Forcier also scored, resulting in the 22-14, game one victory,

Inside the Numbers

• Grass paced the Falcons, going 4-for-5 with a double, home run, two runs scored and three RBI
• Junior Gianna Bencivengo (White Plains, N.Y.) hit 3-for-4, including a double, home run, two runs scored and five RBI for the Bulldogs
• Freshman Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, Conn.) earned the win for Fitchburg State, allowing 11 runs (8 earned) on 12 hits with two K's over 4.1 innings of work
• Sophomore Meredith Landers (Littleton, Mass.) took the loss for Dean, giving up 11 runs (I earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched

Game Two

In game two, Fitchburg State grabbed a 1-0 margin in the top half of the second as Sousa was hit by a pitch, moved to second and third on a Forcier walk and a groundout before crossing the plate on a passed ball.

The Falcons upped their lead in the top of the third when Sousa laced a two-run single up the middle to bring in Gauvin and sophomore Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) before senior Morgan Cormier (Leominster, Mass.) followed with two RBI double to right that plated Sousa and Johnson to make the score 5-0.

The Green and Gold extended the advantage in the following stanza with Gauvin singling to center and scoring on an RBI double off the bat of Sousa, while Sousa came home on a fielding miscue for the 7-0 lead.

Fitchburg State secure the sweep in the top of the fifth as Cisowski drove in sophomore Bryanna O'Connor (Hudson, N.H.) with a single, while Gauvin added a solo shot  to center field, resulting in the 12-1, game two final.

Inside the Numbers

• Third meeting between Fitchburg State and Dean on the softball field with the Falcons 3-0 vs the Bulldogs
• Sousa led the way for Fitchburg State's game two offense, batting 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI
• For Dean, senior Miranda Seacord (Cambridge, N.Y.) finished 2-for-3 at the dish
• Freshman Stefanie Poulin (East Berlin, Conn.) earned the win for the Falcons, yielding one run on four hits with four punchouts in the complete game effort
• Junior Sari Albury (Nassau, Bahamas) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs, giving up five runs (4 earned) on five hits with one K in 2.1 innings of work
• Poulin notched her first collegiate win in the circle

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Friday as they host the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime Academy for a MASCAC twin bill, starting at 2:00 PM.