Softball Drops Pair On Day Two At Space Coast Tournament

Cisowski collects 100th career hit for Green and Gold

Melbourne, FL: The Fitchburg Softball team dropped a pair of contests today on day two action of the 2024 Space Coast Tournament as the Falcons fell 8-2 to the Cougars of Saint Francis (IN) in the opener before dropping a 10-2 decision to the Pride of Clarke University in the nightcap.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 3/11/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 2, Saint Francis 8 (GM1)

- Score: Fitchburg State 2, Clarke 10 (GM2)

- Records: Fitchburg State (1-2, 0-0 MASCAC), Saint Francis (6-6)

- Records: Fitchburg State (1-3, 0-0 MASCAC), Clarke (5-4)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  Saint Francis took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as freshman Sam Baker (Edwardsburg, MI) hit an inside the park home run before sophomore Macie Dowd (Yorktown, IN) and junior Anna Smith (Plainfield, IL) added RBI base knocks.

- The Cougars pushed the advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the third when Baker and sophomore Ashlynn Allman (Lapel, IN) registered run scoring hits. Fitchburg State answered in the top of the fourth with junior Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, CT) lacing an RBI single up the middle, scoring senior Molly Grass (Rockland, MA) to make the score 6-1.

- The Falcons trimmed the deficit to 6-2 in the top of the sixth with junior Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) reaching on a single up the before pinch runner Maggie Bourgeois (Fitchburg, MA) would eventually come around to score on a wild pitch. Saint Francis tacked on a pair insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a throwing miscue and an RBI groundout from newcomer Haylee Schott (Leo, IN), resulting in the 8-2 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This morning's contest marked the first ever meeting between the Cougars and Falcons on the softball field with Fitchburg State 0-1 all-time when taking on Saint Francis

-  Grass paced the Falcons, hitting 2-of-3 with a double and one run scored

-  Leveille added one hit and an RBI for the Green and Gold

-  Leveille was tagged with the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing six runs (5 earned) on seven hits and two walks over three innings of work

-  For the Cougars, Baker finished 3-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI

-  Freshman Bree Miller (St. John's IN) chipped in with two hits

-  Sophomore Mady Tompkins (Versailles, IN) collected the win for Saint Francis, yielding one run on two hits over 2.2 innings of relief

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Clarke opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as sophomore Kennedi LeDuff (Aurora, CO) drove in senior Emily Leverton (East Peoria, IL) with an RBI single to center, while junior Alicia Casas (East Moline, IL) registered a two-run single to right field for the 4-0 advantage.

- The Pride upped the lead to 6-0 in the top of the fourth when sophomore Emma Hodnet (Commerce City, CO) connected on a two-run triple to center that scored Leverton and freshman Alyssa Roos (Huntley, IL). Fitchburg State trimmed the lead to 6-2 in the bottom half of the fourth with newcomer Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) blasted a two-run double to right field, scoring junior Julia Gauvin (Granby, MA) and senior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, CT). Clarke secured the victory in the top of the fifth as senior Lily Kking (Ankeny, IA) ripped an inside the park grand slam, resulting in the 10-2 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This afternoon's contest marked the first ever meeting between the two teams on softball field with the Falcons 0-1 all-time when taking on the Pride

-  Mueller led the way for the Falcons, going 1-of-2 with a double and two RBI

-  Cisowski added one hit, including her 100^th career base knock and a run scored for the Green and Gold

-  Junior Sydney Gabay (Bohemia, NY) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, giving up ten runs (6 earned) on seven hits and striking out three over 4.2 innings pitched

-  For the Pride, King finished 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI

-  Hodnet chipped in with one hit, including a triple, one run scored and two RBI

-  Senior Malarie Huseman (Dubuque, IA) earned the win for Clarke, giving up two runs (1 earned) on two hits and six K's in five innings of work

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action on Wednesday when they take on the Saints of Aquinas College and the Rams of Columbia International at 2:30 PM and 4:45 PM.

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