Falcons Split With Rams On Senior Day

Cahill walks off Green and Gold in game one 

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team split a pair of Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest with the Rams of Framingham State this afternoon from the Donna Lee Withington Softball Field on senior day as the Falcons took the opener 2-1 before falling 5-2 in the night cap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 2, Framingham State 1 (GM1)

Score: Fitchburg State 2, Framingham State 5 (GM 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (15-22, 7-7 MASCAC) I Framingham State (29-11, 13-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Framingham State broke a 0-0 stalemate in the top of the fourth as freshman Talia Duca (Hudson, N.H.) singled, moved to second on a fielding miscued and scored on an RBI single to right center off the bat of senior Keely Scotia (Charlton, Mass.) for the 1-0 edge.

Fitchburg State rallied in the bottom of the seventh when sophomore Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.) reached on a fielding miscue, moved to second and third on base hits from classmates Kiara Bigeau (Clinton, Mass.) and Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, Conn.) before senior Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) ripped a two-run double to center field, resulting in the 2-1, game one final.

Inside the Numbers

• Cahill paced the Falcons, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI
• Bigeau went 1-for-3 with a run scored for the Green and Gold
• Cahill earned the win for Fitchburg State, allowing one unearned run on five hits and nine K's in the complete game effort
• For the Rams, Duca hit 2-for-3 with a run scored
• Junior Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) took the loss, yielding two unearned runs on four hits and eight strikeouts over 6.2 innings of work

Game Two

Fitchburg State grabbed a 1-0 margin in the bottom of the first when seniors Madison Mantegani (Bellingham, Mass.) and Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.) walked before Mantgani crossed the plate on fielding miscue.

Framingham State answered in the top of the second as junior Kelsey McGuill (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) reached on a fielders' choice and senior Zoe Smyth (Cambridge, Mass.) singled., while Scotia followed with a RBI single to score McGuill before newcomer Olyvia Mandoza (Taunton, Mass.) crossed the plate on a run down for the 2-1 edge.

The Rams extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fourth with newcomer Rylynn Witek (Adams, Mass.) tripling to center field and scoring on an RBI single by classmate Angelina Lynch (Taunton, Mass.) before sophomore Makayla Rooney (Peabody, Mass.) laced a two-run single to left center.

The Falcons responded in the bottom of the seventh as sophomore Isabella Sousa (Charlton, Mass.) reached on a fielding error, pinch runner Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, Conn.) would move to third on a throwing miscue and cross the plate on an RBI groundout from Mantegani resulting in the 5-2 final.

Inside the Numbers

• 87th meeting between Fitchburg State and Framingham State on the softball field with the Falcons 45-42 all-time when taking on the Rams
• Grass paced the Falcons, hitting 1-of-2
• Junior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) went 1-for-4 for the Green and Gold
• Leveille gave up just three hits with one punchout in three innings of relief in a no decision for Fitchburg State
• For the Rams, Rooney hit 1-for-1 with a pair of RBI's
• Mendoza picked up the win for Framingham State, giving up two unearned runs on two hits and three strikeouts in the complete game effort
• The Fitchburg State Softball Team honored seniors Bryanna O'Connor, Madison Mantegani, Molly Grass, and Sarah Cahill in a pre-game ceremony for their contributions to the program

Up Next

Falcons conclude their 2023 regular season this afternoon as await its seeding into the upcoming Softball MASCAC Post-Season Tournament.