Baseball drops road matchup with Golden Bears

Springfield MA - Fitchburg State closed out its non-conference slate with a tough 11–3 setback on the road against Western New England on April 29, 2026, as a big middle-inning surge by the Golden Bears proved too much to overcome.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 3, Western New England 11

Records: Fitchburg State (9-26), Western New England (19-18)

How it happened

Western New England struck first in the second inning, taking a 1–0 lead, but the game remained within reach early thanks to solid pitching from Fitchburg State starter Evan Aubin. The Falcons kept things tight through three innings before the game turned decisively in the fourth.

In that frame, Western New England erupted for seven runs, capitalizing on timely hitting, walks, and defensive miscues. RBI singles from multiple hitters, along with aggressive baserunning and control issues on the mound, quickly stretched the lead from a manageable deficit into an 8–0 hole. Despite the lopsided inning, Fitchburg State showed resilience and responded in the fifth. Liam Currier and Casey Bellew helped spark the rally, setting the table for Tyler Fonck, who ripped an RBI double down the right field line to get the Falcons on the board. Shortly after, Joseph Abt added a sacrifice fly to bring home another run and cut the deficit to 8–2.

However, Western New England answered immediately. Jack Gamache launched a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, and the Golden Bears tacked on two more runs in the sixth—one coming on a throwing error and another on a wild pitch—to extend the advantage to 11–2. Fitchburg State continued to battle late, pushing across a run in the ninth inning when Casey Bellew delivered an RBI single to score Ruairi Rago, but the comeback effort fell short as the Falcons dropped the contest 11–3.

Offensively, Fitchburg State recorded eight hits in the game, with multiple players contributing. Maxwell Riordan led the way with a pair of hits, while Ruairi Rago also added two hits and scored a run. Fonck, Abt, and Bellew each drove in a run, accounting for all three Falcon RBIs. On the mound, Aubin took the loss after allowing four runs over 3.2 innings while striking out four. The bullpen combination of Luke Charron, Pete Joslyn, and Nolan Stys struggled to contain the fourth-inning rally, while Ryan DiSano provided a bright spot by tossing 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the game. Defensively, Fitchburg State turned a double play but was hurt by three errors, which contributed to extended innings and additional scoring opportunities for Western New England.

By The Numbers

• Fitchburg State finished with eight hits in the contest, with both Maxwell Riordan and Ruairi Rago recording multi-hit performances to lead the offense.
• Tyler Fonck delivered an RBI double in the fifth inning, extending his consistent extra-base production during conference play.
• Joseph Abt added an RBI via a sacrifice fly, contributing to the Falcons' mid-game push.
• Casey Bellew recorded a hit, a walk, and an RBI, while also scoring one of the team's three runs.
• Liam Currier reached base and scored during the fifth-inning rally, helping generate early momentum for the Falcons.
• Evan Aubin struck out four batters over 3.2 innings but was charged with the loss after allowing four runs.
• The Falcons' pitching staff issued seven walks, which played a key role in Western New England's offensive outburst.
• Ryan DiSano was effective out of the bullpen, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings to stabilize things late.
• Fitchburg State committed three errors defensively, leading to extended innings and additional scoring chances for the opposition.
• The Falcons turned one double play defensively, showing flashes of clean fielding despite the overall struggles.

Up Next

Fitchburg State will look to regroup as they return to MASCAC play to finish off their 2026 season, as they play game 1 of their 3 game slate with Framingham State on Friday at 3:30 PM. 

Stay Connected

- For the latest on Fitchburg State University Athletics, follow the Falcons via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.