Fitchburg State Extends Winning Streak to Six

Falcons take game one, 3-1; earn 3-2 win in game two

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 10, 2012) – The Fitchburg State softball team extended its winning streak today to six games as it downed Regis College, 3-1 and 3-2 in non-conference action this afternoon at Coolidge Park.

 Fitchburg State 3, Regis College 1 (Game 1)

In game one, junior Alicia Mcgrail (N. Brookfield, Mass./ N. Brookfield) went 2-for-3 with a single, triple, and one RBI, while freshman Victoria Brinkley (Durham, Conn./ Guilford) collected two singles and one RBI as the Falcons defeated the Pride 3-1.

McGrail and Brinkley sparked the Fitchburg State offense in the first inning when the pair connected for back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Sophomore Shannon Fitzgerald (Blackstone, Mass./ Blackstone) followed with an RBI ground out to give the Falcons the early 1-0 edge.

After four scoreless innings, Regis knotted the score at 1-1 when Jasmine Welch (Wells, Maine/ Cheverus) singled to right field to plate Samantha Bliss (Framingham, Mass./ Framingham) who reached on a Falcon error.

Fitchburg State responded in the bottom of the sixth frame, sealing its victory as McGrail belted an RBI triple to bring hom freshman Ashley Forgues (Fitchburg, Mass./ Fitchburg). McGrail later scored an insurance run for the Falcon as Brinley's single to left center gave Fitchburg State a 3-1 margin.

Senior Allison Cousins (Leominster, Mass./ Leominster) picked up the win in the circle for the Falcons, pitching a complete game, allowing only four hits and one run, while also collecting seven strikeouts. Emily Prickett (Wrenthem, Mass./ Tri-Country Regional) suffered the loss for the Pride giving up six hits and three runs over six innings of work.

Fitchburg State 3, Regis College 2 (Game 2)

In the second half of a double header, freshman Brittany Whiting (Sharon, Mass./ Sharon) collected 11 strikeouts en route to an eight, inning 3-2 victory.

 Regis College got on the board first as Kara Donovan (Woburn, Mass./ Arlington Catholic) started off the top of the first with one of her three hits, a triple to right center field. Katie Blackburn (Milford, Mass./ Milford) who also went 3-4 for the Pride, tallied her first hit of the game when she singled up the middle to plate Donovan and put the Pride up 1-0. Fitchburg State rebounded with a run of its own in the third inning when Marissa Binnall (Fitchburg, Mass./ Fitchburg) reached on a fielding error and scored on a Forgues single to short.

The back and forth affair continued in the fourth as Sarah Porteus (South Wellfleet, Mass./ Nauset) notched an infield single to rally the Pride and advanced to second on and base-hit from . Caitlin White (Littleton, Mass./ Littleton). Portues eventually gave Regis a 2-1 advantage, scoring on a Falcon throwing error. Fitchburg State evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame and after three scoreless innings the contest went to the eighth.

In the extra stanza, sophomore Megan Breault (Palmer, Mass./ Palmer) was the hero for the Falcons, connecting for the game-winning double to seal the win for Fitchburg State.

Whiting collected the win for the Falcons giving up two runs over eight innings of work and fanning 11. Porteus took the loss for the Pride, pitching 7.1 innings and giving up eight hits and three runs.

Fitchburg State (9-15, 2-2 MASCAC) will be back in action this Thursday as it travels to Plymouth State University for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. Regis College (1-12, 1-3 NECC) will be back in action tomorrow as it hosts Bay Path College at 5:00 p.m.