Softball Swept By Owls In MASCAC Twin Bill

Mueller, Konopka & Sousa collect two hits each

Fitchburg, MA. – The Fitchburg State University Softball team dropped a pair of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contests to the Owls of Westfield State this afternoon from the Donna Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field as the Falcons fell 8-0 in the opener before dropping the nightcap 18-1.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 0, Westfield State 8 (GM1)
Score: Fitchburg State 1, Westfield State 18 (GM2)

Records: Fitchburg State (7-30, 3-9 MASCAC) I Westfield State (29-7, 11-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Westfield State opened the scoring in the top of the first as senior Abby Clark (Uxbridge, MA) walked, advanced to third on a double down the left field line from junior Sarah Hough (Southwick, MA) and scored on a sacrifice by junior Hannah Wodecki (Southampton, MA) for the 1-0 edge.

The Owls upped the lead in the top of third when junior Mia Alfonso (Pittsfield, MA) and sophomore Kassidy LaTour (Lebanon, CT) collected back-to-back singles, while freshman Alyssa Slack (Westfield, MA) laced a two-run double to left field, scoring Alfonso and LaTour to make the score 3-0.

The visitors pushed the advantage to 4-0 in the top of the fourth with Clark reaching on a fielding miscue and crossing the plate on an RBI single up the middle by Hough. Westfield State extended the margin in the top of the fifth as graduate student Christina Ciampa (Rockville, CT) singled, moved to second on a walk by Slack, while freshman Caroline O'Donnell (Quincy, MA) doubled to left center to bring in Ciampa and Slack for 7-0 lead.

The Owls secured the victory in the top of sixth when Ciampa singled, stole second, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a fielding miscue, resulting in the 8-0 final/

By The Numbers

• Senior Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) led the way for the Falcons, hitting 2-of-2
• Freshman Carolyn Brodeur (Ashby, MA) finished 1-for-2 with a double
• Junior Madison Solt (Salem, NH) took the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing eight runs (4 earned) on ten hits and two K's in the complete game effort
• For the Owls, Ciampa hit 3-f0r-4 with two runs scored
• Senior Katherine Canty (Natick, MA) earned the victory for Westfield State, giving up just three hits and striking out seven

Game Two

Westfield State raced out to an 8-0 advantage in the top of the first as junior Hannah Wodecki (Southampton, MA), LaTour and Ciampa notched RBI's, while Hough and freshman Rylie Camacho (Attleboro, MA) added two-run base knocks.

The Owls upped the lead to 16-0 in the top of third with Hughes, Wodecki, LaTour and Clark notching RBI's, while Ciampa followed with a two-run single down the left field line. Fitchburg State answered in the bottom of the third when junior Adria McKenzie (Lowell, MA) singled up the middle, moved to second on a single through the left side from Brodeur and scored on an RBI double to left by Sousa to make the score 16-1.

The visitors capped the scoring in the top of fifth with Slack driving in junior Abbey Malanson (Southampton, MA) with a single to right field before freshman Eva Surette (Braintree, MA) added an RBI ground out, resulting in the 18-2 final.

By The Numbers

• Freshman Paige Konopka (Middlefield, CT) paced the Falcons, hitting 2-for-2 with a double
• Sophomore Jessica Mueller (Fitchburg, MA) finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI
• Senior Sydney Gabay (Bohemia, NY) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, yielding 11 runs (4 earned) on 11 hits and one strikeout over 2.1 innings pitched
• For the Owls, Hough went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI
• Senior Gianna Conte (Greenfield, MA) collected the victory for Westfield State, giving up one run on four hits in two innings of work
• 95th meeting between the Falcons and Owls on the softball field with Fitchburg State 27-68 all-time when taking on Owls

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Saturday as they host the Rams of Framingham State for the MASCAC double header, starting at 12:00PM.

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