Vikings Open Season With Twinbill Split Against Fitchburg State, Burton Shines in Game Two Start

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State (1-1,1-1) opened their 2021 season with a scheduled twinbill against Fitchburg State (1-5, 1-3) on Friday afternoon at the Central Campus Baseball Field. Jimmy Burton (Rutland, Mass.) went the distance in game two, not allowing a run until the seventh inning as Salem State held on to defeat Fitchburg State, 3-2 in the second game of a scheduled Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader. In the opening game, the Falcons beat the Vikings, 7-4 behind five strong innings from starter Matt Ambrosino (Bradenton, Fla.).

Game 1

Ambrosino scatterd five hits and Zach May (Rochdale, Mass.) pitched a scoreless inning in relief as Fitchburg State picked up their first win of the 2021 season with a 7-4 victory. Richard Sharpe (Townsend, Mass.) put the Falcons on the board with a two-run pinch hit double in the second. An error plated another run for Fitchburg State in the third before Salem State added two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to pull within 3-2.  

Vikings' starter Jack Sefroino (Dartmouth, Mass.) pitched through the fourth, allowing three runs – two unearned on three hits, with four walks and a strikeout. Kyle Banche (Torrington, Conn.) entered in the fifth as Fitchburg State broke the game open, scoring three runs, including a two-run double by Vincent Eramo (Shirley, Mass.) to go on top 6-2. Trailing, 7-3 in the sixth, the Vikings plated two runs on an RBI groundout by Jomar Moreta (Lynn, Mass.) and an RBI single by Jake Boucher (Cheshire, Conn.). May entered the seventh and faced four batters before securing his first save of the season. Ambrosino picked up the win, striking out three with two walks while not allowing an earned run.

Jackson Vail (Grafton, Mass.) led the Falcons with a 3-for-4 effort, including a run and one run batted in. Johan Asencio (Clinton, Mass.) added two hits and two runs scored whole Nicholas Cordeau (Melrose, Mass.) reached base three times on three walks.

Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) went 2-for-3, for Salem State with an RBI double while Jake Boucher (Cheshire, Conn.) and Moreta added RBI singles.

Game 2

Starting pitchers Burton and Fitchburg State's Sharpe matched zero's in game two as both pitchers did not allow a run through four innings. The Vikings' Zach Piroh (Bridgeport, Conn.) broke the tie in the fifth, lacing a one-out double into left field, that brought home two runs as Salem State took their first lead of the day. Sharpe, who was replaced by Taryn Laramie (Franklin, N.H.) was charged with two runs on six hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings. May opened the sixth with a walk for the Falcons, but Burton thwarted Fitchburg State, inducing a double-play started by third baseman Christian Burt (Lynn Mass.) and striking out Brad Keefe (Dracut, Mass.) to keep the shutout in tack.

Moreta keyed an insurance run for Salem State in the seventh with a leadoff walk and stolen base. Following a walk, an error brought home Moreta with Salem State's third run.

The Falcons threated in the seventh, back-to-back two-out singles, produced an RBI single by Cordeau. Vail's RBI single, the fourth straight hit by Fitchburg State, made the score 3-2 before Burton recorded the final out with a fly ball to centerfield.

Boucher and Piroh each went 2-for-3 for the Vikings while Burton finished with six strikeouts and just two walks allowed with seven hits and two runs in his first win of the season.

Cordeau had the only multi-hit game for the Falcons, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.