Vikings Split Twinbill With Falcons

SALEM, Mass. -- Christian Burt's (Lynn, Mass.) two-run triple in the third sparked a four-run inning as Salem State came from behind to defeat Fisher College, 5-2 in the first game of their scheduled doubleheader at the Central Campus Baseball Field on Saturday. Jake Sefrino (Dartmouth, Mass.) pitched 6.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn his first win of the season. In game two, the Falcons salvaged a split with a 14-6 victory. Jordan Gosselin (Rochester, N.H.) went 3-for-5 with four RBI in the victory.

Game One

Fisher loaded the bases in the first, sending eight men to the plate in taking a 2-0 lead. Following back-to-back walks, John Batista (Lawrence, Mass.) singled to load the bases. Ivanuel Hernandez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) then brought home two runs with a double off the centerfield fence, narrowly missing a grand slam. Another walk chased Salem State starter Dylan McCormick (South Kingston, R.I.), who was charged with two runs on two hits with three walks, as Sefrino kept Fisher in check the rest of the inning.

Falcons' starter Andres Meletiche (Guayanilla, Puerto Rico) ran into trouble in the third. Three walks in the inning loaded the bases for Shawn Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.). A throwing error by the third baseman scored two runs, and Burt gave the Vikings a 4-2 lead with his first triple of the season.

Jake Boucher (Cheshire, Conn.) generated a Salem State run in the fifth with a leadoff double. A sacrifice bunt and passed ball put the Vikings on top 5-2.

Meanwhile, Sefrino (1-1) allowed only two singles over the final four innings, finishing with four strikeouts while not walking a batter to earn the victory.

Meletiche was replaced by Jose Galan (Alta, Puerto Rico) in the sixth. Meletiche (6-4) gave up five unearned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

Boucher finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored for the Vikings while Batista collected two hits for Fisher.

Game Two

Nicholas Lucchese (Long Island, N.Y.) singled in the first run of the game for the Falcons in the bottom of the first.

Salem State rallied as Boucher added a base hit to open the third. A double to deep right by Rebello put runners on second and third. Zach Piroh (Bridgeport, Conn.) knocked in the first Salem State run with an RBI groundout. Burt gave the Vikings a 2-1 lead with a single to left, scoring Rebello from third. Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) then ripped a double into the left center field gap for the third Salem State run of the inning.

A nine-run fourth by Fisher opened up a 10-3 lead. Two hits and a walk loaded the bases for Gosselin, who tied the game with a two-run single to center, chasing Salem State starter Jimmy Burton (Rutland, Mass.). Burton gave up five runs – four earned – on five hits with two walks. Kyle Banche (Torrington, Conn.) walked back-to-back batters to reload the bases and force in a run. Dennis Santiago (Orlando, Fla.) followed with a bases clearing double to left to extend the lead to 7-3. Following Banche's third walk of the game, Brock Pare (Lowell, Mass.) relieved. Pare allowed another Fisher run on an error before Batista made it a 10-3 game with a two-run single to center.

Salem State got one back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Boucher.

Angel Alicea (Caguas, Puerto Rico) replaced starter Christian Dow (Rochester, N.H.) in the fifth for the Falcons. Dow allowed four runs – three earned – on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

Salem State scored two in the fifth on consecutive wild pitches by Alicea. However, Gosselin answered with a two-run single in the top of the sixth, extending the Falcons' lead to 12-6. Lucchese and Emmanuel Rosado (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) added RBI singles in the seventh, making the final 14-6.

Dow earned the win while Burton was charged with the loss.

Batista went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and two RBI's for the Falcons. Santiago finished with a hit in two at bats with three RBI. Rebello, Piroh and Burt all had two hits apiece for the Vikings.