Softball Earns Split At Space Coast Spring Games

Grass sets program record for total bases in a career at 233

Melbourne, FL: The Fitchburg Softball team registered a split this evening on day four of the 2024 Space Coast Spring Games from the Space Coast Complex as the Falcons dropped a 9-1 decision to the Titans of IU-South Bend before defeating the Trojans of Hannibal LaGrange by a score of 14-5.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 3/14/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 1, IU-South Bend 9 (GM1)

- Score: Fitchburg State 14, Hannibal LaGrange 5 (GM2)

- Records: Fitchburg State (1-6, 0-0 MASCAC), IU-South Bend (5-15)

- Records: Fitchburg State (2-6, 0-0 MASCAC), Hannibal LaGrange (0-15)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  IU-South Bend opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as freshman Reece Douglass tripled to right field and crossed the plate an RBI single to left field off the bat of senior Olivia Zarantonello (LaPorte, IN) for the 1-0 edge. The Titans pushed the lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the thrid with senior Kaitlynne Allen (Niles, MI), junior Danielle Gebhart (Indianapolis, IN) and junior Jaela Patton (Cambridge City, IN) collecting RBI's in the frame.

- IU-South Bend extended the lead in the following stanza when newcomer Alexis Riem singled to center and crossed the plate on an RBI triple by junior Maddie Leisher (Lizton, IN) before Leisher scored on sacrifice fly from Patton to make the score 9-0. Fitchburg State answered in the top of the fifth as sophomore Adria McKenzie (Lowell, MA) singled through the left side, move to third on a sacrifice bunt from senior Allison Pogorek (Millbury, MA) and scored on an RBI groundout by junior Julia Gauvin (Granby, MA), resulting in the 9-1 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

-  This afternoon's contest marked the first ever meeting between the Titans and Falcons on the softball field with Fitchburg State 0-1 all-time when taking on IU-South Bend

-  McKenzie paced the Falcons, hitting 2-for-2

-  Senior Molly Grass (Rockland, MA) added one hit for the Green and Gold

-  Junior Sydney Gabay (Bohemia, NY) took the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing seven runs (3 earned) on seven hits and one K in three innings of work

-  For the Titans, Douglass finished 2-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored

-  Patton chipped in with one hit, one run scored and two RBI

-  Patton earned the win for IU-South Bend, yielding just two hits with three strikeouts over four innings pitched

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Fitchburg State grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first as Grass walk, moved to second and third of a wild pitch and base knock from senior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, CT) and scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA), while senior Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, CT) brought in Cisowski with an RBI groundout.

- The Falcons upped the lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the second when Grass laced a two-run single up the middle, while Cisowski, Gauvin, Mueller and Kirkconnell added RBI's in the stanza. Hannibal LaGrange responded in the top of the third with junior Emma Angel (Ladonnia, MO) reaching on a fielders' choice, advanced to third on a single to right field from classmate Kara Krieger (New London, IA) and crossed the plate on a single to right from junior Anita Kraus (Valley Park, MO) to make the score 8-1.

- The Green and Gold secured the victory in the bottom of the third, crossing the plate six times with Cisowksi ripping a two-run triple down the right field line before Gauvin followed with an RBI single through the left side, resulting in the 14-5 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

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

-  Mueller paced the Falcons, going 2-for-2 with a double, triple, two runs scored and two RBI

-  Gauvin added two hits, including a double, two runs scored and a pair of RBI

-  Senior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, MA) picked up the win for Fitchburg State, giving up five runs on eight hits and striking out one over five innings of work

-  For the Trojans, senior McKenzie Bensinger (O'Fallon, MO) finished 1-of-3 with a triple, one run scored and two RBI

-  Krieger chipped in with two hits and one run scored

-  Sophomore Miranda Saylor (Sherrard, IL) took the loss for Hannibal LaGrange, allowing eight runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings of work

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action tomorrow as they take on the Trojans of Hannibal LaGrange and the Conquistadors of Florida National at 2:30PM and 7:00PM.

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