Falcons Take Game One vs. Worcester State; Game Two Suspended Due To Darkness

WORCESTER, Mass. -- On the heels of clinching a Massachusetts State Athletic Conference (MASCAC) playoff berth, Fitchburg State got back into league action against Worcester State on Wednesday afternoon, taking game one 11-4 before having the second called due to darkness at the end of the 11^th inning with a 6-6 tie. That game will be completed on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

Freshman left-hander Evan Meleedy enjoyed early offensive support and met it with a complete-game effort to pace Fitchburg State past Worcester State in the first of the double-header, 11-4.

Through seven innings he allowed four earned runs on 10 hits while striking out a pair and improving to 3-2 on the season.

For Worcester State, junior Andrew Reed was called upon for 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs, and striking out four in relief of the starting pitcher, Kevin Valentine, who only recorded two outs before he was pulled.

The Green and Gold came out swinging, batting around the entire line-up in the top of the first inning as senior Javier Lozada capped off an eight-run inning with a 2-out RBI single to centerfield, plating Andrew Currie before the Lancers were able to get the third out (8-0).

Worcester State responded with three runs in the home half of the inning beginning when junior Adam Barry scored senior John Boyd with a single to centerfield to begin things for the Lancer offense (8-3).

In the top of the second, Fitchburg State went back to work as the first two runners in the inning reached base before senior Roel Fernandez scored them both with a single through the right-side of the infield to extend the lead (10-3).

But again, Barry came through for the Lancers, picking up his second RBI single in two innings to score Boyd from third base in the home half of the frame (10-4).

Southpaw Meleedy began to find his groove and the Falcons increased the offensive support as sophomore Nathan Littman steered a double inside the chalk in left before coming around on a passed ball to score unearned in the top of the sixth (11-4).

Meleedy continued his dominate effort into the seventh, working around a double off the bat of freshman George Bielizna before recording his fifth-straight scoreless inning and the 11-4 victory in game one - his second conference win of the season.  

Littman led the Falcon offense in the first game, hitting three doubles in a 4-for-5 performance. Four other members had multi-hit games with Currie and Fernandez driving in three runners apiece.

Centerfielder Mike Ferrara joined Bielizna and Barry as the only Lancers with multiple hits each going 2-for-3 in the contest.

Fitchburg State (15-16; 8-3) heads into its final stretch of non-conference games, visiting Nichols on Thursday for a contest starting at 3:00 P.M.

Worcester State (12-23; 1-10) is back at it on Thursday as well when they travel to take on Salve Regina with first pitch slated for 3:30 P.M.

Release Courtesy of Fitchburg State Journalist Kyle Prudhomme