Softball Rallies for Split With Buccaneers In MASCAC Twin Bill

Gabay collects first collegiate victory for Green & Gold

Buzzards Bay, MA. – The Fitchburg State University softball team earned a split with the Buccaneers of Massachusetts Maritime Academy this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from Alison Rollins Field as the Falcons dropped the opener 9-1 before collecting a 7-6 victory in the nightcap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Mass. Maritime 9 (GM1)

Score: Fitchburg State 7, Mass. Maritime 6 (GM 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (4-19, 2-2 MASCAC) I Mass. Maritime (14-8, 1-3 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Mass. Maritime grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as freshman Natalie Gale (Norwood, MA) doubled down the left field, moved to following a hit by pitch and walk and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of newcomer Camryn Whitmore (Stoughton, MA).

The Buccaneers pushed the advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the second with freshman Eva Warren (North Chelmsford, MA) driving in junior Hannah Burton (East Bridgewater, MA) with a ground out before senior Reagan Kerecz (Tolland, CT) plated senior Jennamaria Klemp (Onset, MA) with an RBI fielders' choice.

Fitchburg Stat answered in the top of the fourth when junior Adria McKenzie (Lowell, MA) and sophomore Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) registered back-to-back singles before freshman Priscilla Dillon (Glenville, GA) laced an RBI double to right center to bring in Mueller.

The hosts upped the margin to 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Kerecz crossed the plate on the throwing miscue, while junior Kelsey Booker (Corning, NY) launched a two-run home run. Mass. Maritime secured the victory in the bottom of the sixth on RBI's from Gale and sophomore Sarah Holler (Hingham, MA), resulting in the 9-1 final.

Inside the Number

• Dillon led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-3 with a double and RBI
• Mueller went 1-for-3 with a run scored
• Junior Madison Solt (Salem, NH) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, allowing nine runs (5 earned) on seven hits and two K's over five innings of work
• For the Buccaneers, Gale finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored
• Klemp earned the victory for Mass. Maritime, giving up one run on five hits and two strikeouts in the complete game effort

Game Two

Fitchburg State raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as freshman Carolyn Brodeur (Ashby, MA) singled, move to second on a walk by Mueller before senior Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) blasted a three-run shot to center field.

Mass. Maritime knotted the score at 3-3 in the bottom of first with Kerecz singling to shortstop, moving to second on a walk by Gale, while Booker connected on a three-run home run. The Falcons regained the advantage in the following frame when senior Ella Marshall (Gloucester, MA) reached on a fielding miscue, moved to second and third on base hit from freshman Lauren Ahearn (Danvers, MA) and walk from classmate Emily Bennett (Gorham, MA) before Broduer singled to left field to score Marshall and Sousa added an RBI single up the middle to drive in Brodeur for the 6-3 margin.

The Buccaneers cut the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of third as senior Rubi Butler (Plainville, MA) brought in Holler with an RBI groundout to second. Mass. Maritime rallied to retie the contest (6-6) in the bottom of the fourth with Holler registering a two-run double to right center that scored freshman Lillian Ross (Greenfield, MA) and Gale. The Green and Gold secured the victory though in the top of the fifth when Mueller ripped a leadoff triple to left center and came across the plate on an RBI groundout to second from Sousa, resulting in the 7-6 final.

Inside the Number

• 63rd meeting between Fitchburg State and Mass. Maritime on the softball field with the Falcons 61-2 all-time when taking on the Buccaneers
• Sousa paced the Falcons, hitting 2-for-4 with home run, one run scored and five RBI
• Brodeur finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI
• Senior Sydney Gabay (Bohemia, NY) collected her first collegiate victory for Fitchburg State, surrendering six runs on 11 hits and four punchouts in the complete game effort
• For the Buccaneers, Booker went 2-for-4 with a home run, one run scored and three RBI
• Klemp suffered the setback for Mass. Maritime, giving up one run on three hits over 5.1 innings of reiief
• Senior Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) blasted her first collegiate home run for the Green and Gold

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Thursday as they host the Owls of Keene State for a non-conference double header, starting at 3:00PM.

STAY CONNECTED:

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