Softball Hits Four Homers in Doubleheader Sweep of Fitchburg State

Springfield, Mass. (March 22, 2023) – The Golden Bears played host to the Fitchburg State University Falcons on Wednesday after the games were moved to Western New England from its original location of Fitchburg State. The doubleheader was taken by WNE, who won the first game 3-0 thanks to a three-run fifth inning and won the second game 13-3 after getting eight in the fourth inning.

Game 1: Western New England 3, Fitchburg State 0

Megan Beebe was in the circle for game one of the doubleheader. She took care of the Falcons three up, three down in the first. Sarah Cahill was Beebe's counterpart for game one. Cahill would face four batters in the first and get three out. Two runners got on for the Falcons in the second, but Beebe settled in and struck out two batters to keep the game scoreless. Two batters would reach base for the Golden Bears, as well. However, Cahill cleaned it up and got the final batter to strike out to end the inning. Both pitchers kept the runs off the board for innings three and four. Beebe kept the Falcons away from home plate in the top of the fifth. 

Then, the Golden Bears found their offensive firepower in the bottom of the fifth. Taylor Keegan singled off the pitcher. With two outs, Dina DiBlasio hammered a double to center field, which scored Keegan. Then, reigning CCC Player of the Week, Kailey Carrano would prove why she has that title and smashed a home run to deep left center. That put the Golden Bears up by a score of 3-0. Both pitchers would do what they had to in the sixth inning. Then, Riley Kane would enter the game for the save opportunity. After getting the first batter to ground out to shortstop, Kane would strike out the final two batters to end the game with the Golden Bears winning 3-0.

Inside The Diamond:

• Megan Beebe pitched six innings for the Golden Bears. She faced 22 batters, struck out seven, only allowed three hits, and got the win.
• Riley Kane faced three batters, did not allow a hit, and struck out two to get her second save on the season.
• Dina DiBlasio went 2-3 with two doubles and an RBI.
• Kailey Carrano went 1-3 with a home run and two RBIs.
• The Golden Bears won the first game of the doubleheader 3-0.

Game 2: Western New England 13, Fitchburg State 3

The first game saw a pitching battle that Megan Beebe won. The second game saw fireworks in almost every inning. Ava Blanchard started in the circle for the Golden Bears. She faced four in the first inning, walked one, struck out one, and got the other two to pop or ground out. Taylor Keegan would start the game for the Golden Bears with a big triple off the center field wall. Paige Baca drew a walk, and then a steal by Baca prompted a throw to second by the catcher, which gave Keegan enough time to steal home and give the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead. DiBlasio would then single through the infield's left side, advancing Baca to third. Caranno grounded out to the pitcher with runners on the corners, bringing Baca home for an RBI. DiBlasio scored on Gracie Hemstock's single. Hemstock tried to extend the single into a double but was thrown out at second. The Golden Bears had a 3-0 lead after one inning. 

Blanchard kept the Falcons scoreless for the second inning. Then the Golden Bears would get back to work. Maggie Marquardt led off the inning for the Golden Bears and launched a leadoff home run. Taylor Keegan would double with one out. She would score on the ball that got past the catcher. The Golden Bears led 5-0 after two. With two outs in the top of the third, the Falcons found their offense for the first time on Wednesday. Adria Stys started with a single down the right-field line. Then, Madison Mantegani ripped a single to right-center field. Molly Grass brought Stys home with a double down the right-field line and moved Mantegani to third. Isabella Sousa would hit the ball toward first base and reach on an error. Grass and Mantegani reached home plate on the error to knock the score to 5-3. 

The Golden Bears were held without a hit in the third. However, they made up for it in the bottom of the fourth. Keegan started the inning with a walk. Keegan stole second. With two outs, the Golden Bears started a rally. It started with Carrano hitting a line drive over the center field wall for a two-run home run. The score was 7-3. With two on and two out for Madison Mason, Mason launched a ball to deep left-center field, carrying it over the fence for a three-run home run. The Golden Bears led 10-3. Keegan got up again in the inning and launched her third hit and second triple of the day. That brought home two to push the lead to 12-3. Baca followed it with a double to left center, which scored Keegan and put a lid on the scoring for the afternoon. The Golden Bears would win in five innings, with Emilia Garcia coming in as pitcher to finish the game off for the team. The final score was 13-3.

Around The Diamond:

• Taylor Keegan went 3-3 with a walk. She had two triples, and a double, bringing home two runs. 
• Dina DiBlasio went 2-4 and scored a run.
• Kailey Carrano went 1-3 with a home run and three RBIs.
• Maggie Marquardt went 2-3 with a home run and an RBI.
• Madison Mason went 1-2 with three RBIs.
• Ava Blanchard faced 17 batters, let up three runs on three hits, and struck out six.
• The Golden Bears won 13-3.

Up Next: 

The Golden Bears stay home as they open up conference play with a doubleheader next Friday, March 31, at 2:30 PM and 4:30 PM against Gordon College.

Fitchburg State will head to another CCC team as they visit Curry College for a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 29, at 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.