Falcons Drop Season Opener in Extra Innings to Rose-Hulman, 6-5

Brendan Cutler goes 2-5 with one RBI in season opener

AUBURNDALE, FL – Fitchburg State University (0-1) baseball fell in extra-innings to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (4-2), 6-5 in their season-opening contest. The game was the first out of nine for the Falcons on their annual Florida spring trip.

Patrick Klima led off the bottom of the 10^th for the Engineers with a walk, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Caleb Kissel. Zach Trusk proceeded to hit a single to left field that scored Klima from second and resulted in the winning run.

The Green & Gold were able to get to Nixon early, scoring three runs in the first inning of play. After reaching on a leadoff error on the third baseman, Roel Fernandez came around to score on a single up the middle by Brendan Cutler. With the bases loaded Mike Martignetti beat out an infield single to first base that brought home Steven McFadden and B. Cutler.

In the bottom half of the first Rose-Hulman cut the deficit to 3-2, as Kody Alyaon led off with a single up the middle, followed by a double in the right center gap by Klima to bring in Alyon from first. Kissel followed in the next at bat with a hit in the same spot that plated in Alyon to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Engineers tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth when Cody Sunderhaus doubled to left center that scored Hull from second.

Rose-Hulman jumped out to their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Zach Hull drove in Kissel. Andrew Mooney came out of the bullpen and held the Engineers to just one run in the inning, striking out Evan Witkenson looking and stranding two runners in scoring position.

Fitchburg State had a two out rally in the top of the seventh and tied it at 5-5 on a single to center field by Steven Drury Jr., scoring Pierce Hans and Fernandez.

B. Cutler and Clayton Beaulieu both had two hits, going 2-5 in the losing effort, while Drury Jr. had two RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

Javier Lozada suffered the loss, tossing 1.2 innings with one strikeout, while Nik Powers got the start and threw 4.1 innings, yielding four earned runs with three strikeouts in his collegiate debut.

Fitchburg State will return the diamond tomorrow as they take on Concordia at Chain of Lakes Park in Winterhaven, FL. First pitch scheduled for 9:30 am.