Falcons Swept By Bears In MASCAC Double Header

Cormier, Forcier, Johnson & O'Brien honored on Senior Day

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team dropped a pair of Massachusettes State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) games to the Bears of Bridgewater State University this afternoon from the Donna-Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field by the scores of 4-1 and 7-6 as the Falcons honored their four seniors on senior day.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Bridgewater State 4 (Game One)

Score: Fitchburg State 6, Bridgewater State 7 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (15-16, 4-6 MASCAC) I Bridgewater State (17-14-1, 8-2 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Bridgewater State opened the scoring in the top of the first as junior Olivia Silva (Somerset, Mass.) walked, stole second and scored on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of graduate student Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) for the 1-0 edge.

The Falcons knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second when senior Lundyn Forcier (Woonsocket, R.I.) singled through the left side, moved to second on a passed ball and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from junior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.).

The Bears regained the lead in the top half of the third with Ruprecht drawing a two-out walk stole second and scored on an RBI double to left center by junior Madison Dana (Lynn, Mass.) to make the score 2-1.

The visitors upped its advantage in the top of the fifth as freshman Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) and senior Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) singled to start the frame before Silva and Dana registered sacrifice flies to extend the lead to 4-1.

The Falcons threatened in the bottom of the seventh when senior Morgan Cormier (Leominster, Mass.) laced a single through the right side and advanced to second on a Cahill base hit, but Bears hurler Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) worked out of the jam unscathed, resulting in the 4-1, game one final.

Inside the Numbers

• Grass led the way for the Falcons, going 1-for-3 with a double
• For the Bears, Dana finished 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI
• Cahill took the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing four runs on eight hits with five K's in the complete game effort
• Reichert collected the win for Bridgewater State, giving up one unearned run on four hits with a season best nine strikeouts over seven innings of work

Game Two

In game two, Bridgewater State grabbed an early 2-0 margin in the top of the first with Dana and senior Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) picking up RBI singles. Fitchburg State answered in their half of the first with Cormier lacing a two-run double to left center that brought in freshman Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.) and sophomore Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) to knot the score at 2-2.

The Falcons took the lead in the bottom of the second when Cisowski notched an RBI single up the middle before senior Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) followed with a two-run single to right center for the 5-2 edge.

The Bears grabbed the lead back in the top of the third as Sharon and sophomore Janet Jolly (Raynham, Mass.) registered RBI singles, while graduate student Madison Synan (Quincy, Mass.) added an RBI sacrifice bunt for the 6-5 margin.

The Green and Gold retied the contest (6-6) in the bottom of the third when Forcier reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and came around to score on an RBI base hit to left from sophomore Allison Pogorek (Millbury, Mass.).

Bridgewater State broke the 6-6 stalemate in the top of the seventh with Ruprecht walking, moved to second on a ground out and scored the winning run on an RBI single up the middle by freshman Amelia Blake (Raynham, Mass.), resulting in the 7-6 final

Inside the Numbers

• 82nd meeting between the two teams on the softball field with the Falcons 10-72 when taking on the Bears
• Cisowski paced Fitchburg State, going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and one RBI
• For Bridgewater State, Sharon hit 3-of-4 with two doubles, one run scored and two RBI
• Cahill suffered the setback for the Falcons, yielding one run on one hits with one strikeout in three innings of relief
• Reichert picked up the win for the Bears, allowing two runs (1 earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings of relief
• Fitchburg State honored four seniors playing in their final regular season prior to the contest with the senior being #6 Lundyn Forcier, #8 Hayley O'Brien, #13 Morgan Cormier (Leominster, Mass) and Audrey Johnson.

 Up Next

Falcons return to action on Tuesday as they travel to Worcester State to take on the Lancers for a MASCAC double header, starting at 5:00 PM. Bears will host the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime Academy on the same day for a conference twin bill at 3:00 PM.