Falcons Rally For A Pair Of Victories In Season Opener

Register 8-4 victory over Medaille in opener; Defeat Penn St Harrisburg 9-7 in nightcap

Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The Fitchburg State softball opened its 2020 spring trip to Myrtle Beach this afternoon, defeating the Mavericks of Medaille College, 8-4 in the opener before completing the sweep with a 9-7 triumph over Penn State Harrisburg in the night cap at the Fast Pitch Dreams Classic.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 8, Medaille 4 (Game One)

Records: Fitchburg State (1-0) | Medaille (0-2)

Score: Fitchburg State 9, Penn State-Harrisburg 7 (Game Two)

Records: Fitchburg State (2-0) | Penn State-Harrisburg (0-2)

How It Happened

In game one, Medaille took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when freshman Shay Somers (Grand Island, N.Y.) singled and came around to score on a triple by sophomore Abbigail Doherty (Clarence, N.Y.).

Fitchburg State grabbed a 2-1 edge in top half of the second as freshman Abbie Roderick (Woonsocket, R.I.) walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of graduate student Kayla Baker (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and scored on a double by senior McKenzie Lambert (Wilbraham, Mass.), who later scored on a passed ball.

Trailing 4-3 going into the top of the seventh, the Green and Gold rallied, pushing across five run with sophomore Morgan Cormier (Leominster, Mass.) ripping a two run double to left center, while newcomer Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.) and Roderick added RBIs in the frame as well as the Falcons secured an 8-4 triumph.

In game two, Fitchburg State took a 3-0 advantage in the top of the first as Lambert singled up the middle to plate Roderick before sophomore Lundyn Forcier (Woonsocket, R.I.) laced a two run double into the left centerfield gap to bring in Grass and Lambert.

Penn State cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the first when senior Sarah Coolbaugh (Harding, Penn.) singled home junior Madelyn Pyle (Liverpool, Penn.) with a base hit to left center. The Nittany Lyons scratched across another run in the bottom of the third with Coolbaugh singling up the middle to plate junior Sierra Dixon (Harrisburg, Penn.) to make the score 3-2.

The Green and Gold upped their margin (4-2) in the top of the fifth with Roderick reaching on a bunt single, advancing to second on a passed ball and scoring when Lambert blasted a double to center field.

Penn State regained the lead (6-4) in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by a bases clearing triple from senior Dominique Emmett (South Abington, Penn.), but the Falcons retied the contest (6-6) as Forcier and senior Emma Campbell (Goffstown, N.H.) registered RBI hits.

The Falcons would take the lead in the top of the seventh with freshman Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) ripping a bases clearing double to right field to plate Forcier, Grass and sophomore Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.), resulting in the 9-7, game two final.

Inside the Numbers

• First ever meeting with the Falcons 1-0 vs the Mavericks
• Cormier paced the Falcons offense, going 1-for-2 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI
• Mikayla Harnois (Attleboro, Mass.) collected the win Fitchburg State, allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings of relief
• First ever meeting with the Falcons 1-0 vs the Nittany Lions
• Forcier paced the Falcons, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI
• Cahill picked up the win for the Fitchburg State, allowing one run on one hit with one K in two innings of relief to pick up her first collegiate victory

Up Next

Falcons will take on the Falcons of Albertus Magnus and the Titans of Lycoming tomorrow on day two of the Fast Pitch Dreams Classic at 11:30 AM and 5:30 PM.