Pride Softball Loses Road Games at Fitchburg State

FITCHBURG, Mass. – Regis College lost to Fitchburg State in both games of a collegiate softball doubleheader, 10-0 and 10-2, Thursday afternoon at Coolidge Park.

Game One: Fitchburg State 10, Regis 0

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Fitchburg State earned five hits in a row that scored four runs, highlighted by a triple from McKenzie Lambert that scored Nicole Sylvester and Olivia Pietersen. The Pride threatened to cut into the Falcon lead in the second inning as Erin Murphy (Bedford, N.H.) reached on an error and Brianna Napoleone (Medford, Mass.) followed with a single up the middle, but the next three Regis batters were retired without a run scoring.

Fitchburg State tallied four more runs in the bottom of the second inning, including a bases-loaded single by Hayley McCarthy that scored Pietersen and Lambert. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, McCarthy once again drove in Pietersen and Lambert with a single, and then the Falcons overcame a leadoff walk in the fifth inning to activate the eight-run-lead rule, ending the game.

Alyssa Ward (Webster, Mass.) took the loss for the Pride after starting the game and pitching the first two innings, while Nicole Tebo (Kingston, N.H.) came on in relief in the third inning and finished with four strikeouts in two innings. Emma Campbell earned the win for the Falcons after scattering three hits over four innings while striking out three batters.

Game Two: Fitchburg State 10, Regis 2

Regis struck first in the opening inning as Kelsey Grimard (Pelham, N.H.) singled down the left field line, raced to third on a single by Ellery Rasmussen (Kingston, N.H.), and scored on a passed ball. Sarah Fawcett (Londonderry, N.H.) followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one out, but the Pride could not add to their run total.

Fitchburg State (10-4) responded in the bottom of the first inning with Lundyn Forcier and Lambert drawing consecutive walks and then coming home ahead of Sylvester as she hit a three-run home run. Regis loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second on singles by Morgan LeBaron (Rehoboth, Mass.), Alyssa Rossillo (Sudbury, Mass.), and Allie Petillo (West Sayville, N.Y.), but a groundout and a strikeout ended the Pride's scoring chance.

Fawcett led off the third inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Murphy. With one out, Nikki Papadopoulos (Coventry, Conn.) hit a single up the middle, driving in pinch runner Taylor Iorfino (Monroe, Conn.) from second base to cut the Regis deficit in half. Rossillo drew a walk to load the bases with two outs, but Falcon reliever Mikayla Harnois induced a groundout to end the Pride threat.

The Falcons broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the third inning, punctuated by a three-run home run from Audrey Johnson. Fitchburg State would add to its lead with a run in the fourth inning, and then Johnson led off the fifth inning with a single, advanced to third base on a Regis error, and scored on a single by McCarthy, ending the contest due to the eight-run-lead rule.

Rossillo took the loss after allowing eight runs in 2 2/3 innings of work before Keira Columbus (Fitchburg, Mass.) came on in relief with friends and family loudly supporting her in her hometown. Harnois allowed just one walk in 2 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the victory for the Falcons.

Regis (1-11) will head to Chicopee, Mass., to face Elms College in a non-conference doubleheader Saturday, March 30, starting at 1 p.m. The games were moved from Sunday to Saturday due to the forecast of rain Sunday.