Falcons Earn Split With Rams On Senior Day

Kirkconnell drives in winning run in walk-off fashion in game two  

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team split a pair of non-conference games with the Rams of Framingham State this afternoon at the Donna Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field as the Rams took game one by the score of 5-1 before the Falcons captured a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Framingham State 5 (Game One)
Score: Fitchburg State 3, Framingham State 2 (Game Two)
Records: Fitchburg State (9-7) I Framingham State (20-6)

How It Happened

Game One

Framingham State opened the scoring in the top of the third as sophomore Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) tripled to right center to bring home cRocklanlassmate Grace Seanson (Lincoln, R.I.) before senior Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) followed with a double into the left center field gap to plate Carpenter. Desrochers would later cross plate on a wild pitch to make the score 3-0.

Fitchburg State cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom half of fifth when senior Keeliey Zompetti (Hudson, Mass.) singled down the left field line and eventually come around to cross the plate off a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.).

The Rams extended their margin in the top of the sixth with newcomer Mackenzie Boyle (Agawam, Mass.) scoring on a throwing miscue before Carpenter singled up the middle to bring in Swanson for the 5-1 edge.

Inside the Numbers

• Grass led the way for the Falcons, going 1-for-2 with a double, one RBI and a stolen bas
• Carpenter paced the Rams, finishing 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored
• Senior Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) took the loss for Fitchburg State, allowing five runs (3 earned) on seven hits with four K's over seven innings of work
• Junior Laela Pepin (Acushnet, Mass.) picked up the win for Framingham State, giving up one unearned run on three hits and two strikeouts in five innings of work

Game Two

In the second game on the day, Framingham State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when freshman Mercedes Jimenez (Cambridge, Mass.) doubled and came in to score on an RBI single from sophomore Caitlin McCarthy (Rehoboth, Mass.).

The Falcons grabbed the lead in their half of the second with junior Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) launching her second home run of the season over the left field fence, while sophomore Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) drove in junior Lundyn Forcier (Woonsocket, R.I.) with a base hti up the middle.

The Rams tied the contest (2-2) in the following frame as Swanson doubled, moved to third on a fly out and scored off a wild pitch. The score remained knotted at two apiece until the bottom of the seven when the Green and Gold proceeded to load the bases on back-to-back hits by Colvin and sophomore Madison Mantegani (Bellingham, Mass.). Newcomer Lauren Kirkconnell (Dayville, Conn.) would then lace a single up the middle that scored Forcier, who leadoff the frame, reaching on a fielding miscue, resulting in the 3-2 walk-off win for the hosts.

Inside the Numbers

• 84th meeting between the two teams in softball with the Falcons 44-40 vs the Rams
• Fitchburg State honored seniors Keeliey Zompetti and Taylor Colvin this afternoon for their contributions to the program
• Johnson paved the way for Fitchburg State, hitting 1-for-3 with a home run, one run scored and one RBI
• For Framingham State, Jimenez batted 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and one run scored
• Colvin earned the win in the circle for the Falcons, pitching three scoreless innings of relief with two punch outs
• Senior Ally Moran (Wilmington, Mass.) suffered the setback for Framingham State, yielding three runs (2 earned on six hits and six strikeouts

Up Next

Falcons will travel to Worcester State on Friday to take on the Lancers in a MASCAC twin-billing, starting at 4:00 PM. Rams also return to action on Friday as they visit Salem State for a conference double header, starting at 5:00 PM.