Fitchburg State Defeats Salem State Twice

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State and Fitchburg State continued their four-game series with a doubleheader at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon. Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.) went-5-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI in a game one, 8-5 Fitchburg State victory. Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) pitched a complete game and added two doubles with two RBI in the win. The Falcons earned the four-game sweep with an 8-5 victory in game two as Fitchburg State starter Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) went the distance allowing five runs – three earned- on nine hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Colvin powered the offense with two doubles and four RBI, finishing the day, 4-for-7 with four doubles and six RBI.  

Game 1

Fitchburg State's offense gave the Falcons an early first inning lead off starter Sierra Ricci (Greene, R.I.). Grass led off the game with a home run to centerfield, her first of the year, as Fitchburg State sent eight batters to the plate. Falcons' starter Colvin helped her cause with a two-out-two run double as Fitchburg State exited the inning with a 3-0 lead.

Julianna Savone (Palm Coast, Fla.) extended the lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly in the second. Salem State got one back on a sacrifice fly by Ricci in the second before closing to within a run in the third on a two-run double by Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.).

A sacrifice bunt by Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, Conn.) put runners on second and third in the fifth for the Falcons. Madison Mategani (Bellingham, Mass.) followed with an RBI single before Grass plated two more runs with a single up the middle, chasing Salem State starter Ricci from the game. Ricci was charged with seven runs – all earned - on 11 hits with six strikeouts and a walk. in 4.1 innings of work.  

Trailing 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth, the Vikings once again clawed their way back into the game, as Domonique Del Vecchio (Stoneham, Mass.) knocked in two runs with a single up the middle. Salem State loaded the bases with one out, but Colvin worked out of the inning with a strikeout and foul out to the catcher.

Savone singled in her second run of the game in the top of the seventh, making the score 8-5, before Salem State made on more bid to tie the game. Singles by Mikayla Porcaro (Amesbury, Mass.) and DeSantis put two runners on with one out, but Colvin induced a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.

Colvin allowed five earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and three walks in picking up her third win. Savone finished 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI's for the Falcons.

DeSantis went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI for Salem State. Porcaro added three hits, including a double and two runs scored while Del Vecchio and Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) collected two hits apiece for the Vikings. Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.) went 2.2 inning in relief for Salem State allowing a run on two hits with one strikeout.

Game 2

Once again the Falcons jumped on top early, scoring two runs in the first on an RBI single by Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) and an unearned run on an error. Colvin made it 3-0 in the third with a run scoring double to center before Salem State battled back to tie the score in the bottom of the inning. Jeffers singled in the first run and a two-run double to centerfield by DeSantis knotted the game at 3-3.

The Falcons regained the lead in the fourth on an RBI triple by Grass, who came around to score on a throwing error by the second baseman.

Del Vecchio's RBI single drew the Vikings to with a run at 5-4, but once again, Fitchburg State pulled away with a three-run sixth, highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Savone and a two-run double by Colvin.

Del Vecchio batted in her second run of the day in the seventh, making the score 8-5 before Cahill closed out the win with a pop up and strikeout.

Grass and Johnson combined for three hits apiece with Grass also scoring three runs.

Alexandria Sheehan (Marion, Mass.) went 2-for-4 for the Vikings with two runs scored while Del Vecchio and DeSantis had two hits and two RBI. Jeffers finished 2-for-4 with a run and RBI for the Vikings.

Grace DuBois (Newton, N.H.) took the loss, going four innings and allowing five runs – four earned on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Carter pitched three innings and gave up three runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts and two walks.