Falcons Rally For Non-Conference Split With Cougars

 \Falcons Rally For Non-Conference Split With Cougars

Grass eclipses 100 hit milestone, while tying program record for career HR's with 13

Worcester, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University softball team rallied for a split with the Co,ugars of Clark University as Clark notched a 10-7 game one triumph before the Falcons rallied for a 13-8 , game two victory at the O'Brien Softball Field.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 7, Clark 10 (GM1)

Score: Fitchburg State 13, Clark 8 (GM 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (3-14, 0-2 MASCAC) I Clark 4-15, 0-2 NEWMAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Clark grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as senior Eliza Lindberg (East Chatham, N.Y.) singled up the middle, moved to third on a double from classmate Allessia Mauro (Woodbury, Conn.) before freshman Felicia Salvati (Naugatuck, Conn.) registered an RBI single.

Fitchburg State knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the second when junior Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) singled to third base and scored on an RBI double to right center by senior Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.).

The Green and Gold grabbed the lead in the following frame with sophomore Kiara Bigeau (Clinton, Mass.) singling down the left field line, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single to left field from classmate Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, Conn.) for the 2-1 edge.

The Falcons extended the advantage in the top of the fifth when senior Madison Mantegani (Bellingham, Mass.) singled to left before Grass launched a two-run shot to left field for her 100^th career hit, while sophomore Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.) followed with a three run blast to left to make the score 7-1.

Clark responded in the in their half of the fifth as graduate student Kaylee Gibson (Northfield, Mass.) notched a base clearing double, while senior Reilly Bronson (Seymour, Conn.) added an RBI double to cut the deficit to 7-5.

The Cougars battled back to take a 10-7 lead in the bottom of the sixth as Mauro, Salvati and Gibson notched RBI bask knocks, before freshman Magdalena Barthel (East Haven, Conn.) added a two-run double.

Inside the Numbers

• Grass led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-3 with a double, home run, one run scored and three RBI
• Gauvin went 1-for-2 with a home run, one run scored and three RBI for the Green and Gold
• Cahill took the loss for Fitchburg State, yielding ten runs on 14 hits with three K's in 5.2 innings of work
• For the Cougars, Gibson finished 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and four RBI
• Senior Nicole Buckley (Hazlet, N.J.) collected the win for Clark, going 2.1 innings with two strikeouts
• Fitchburg senior Molly Grass eclipsed the 100 hit milestone as well as tying the program record for career HR's with 13

Game Two

Fitchburg State erupted for five runs in the top of the first with Cisowski walking, advancing to third on a double to right off the bat of Grass, while Leveille followed with two-run single down the left field line to bring in Cisowski and Grass. Following a walk by Gauvin, the Falcons tacked on a pair of runs on a fielding miscue, while newcomer Kata DiRusso (Medford, Mass.) added an RBI single up the middle for the 5-0 margin.

Clark answered in the bottom of the first when junior Samantha Crowley (Middleboro, Mass.) reached first on dropped third strike, moved to second and third on a base hit from Lindberg and a groundout, while Gibson drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Crowley, while Lindberg came in on a passed ball to make the score 5-2.

The Cougars responded in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs on five hits as Barthel and Spence collected RBI hits to give the host as 7-5 edge. The Falcons battled back to grab a 12-7 margin in the top of the sixth when Cisowski drew a bases-loaded walk to plate sophomore Alyssa Beaulieu (Derry, N.H>.), while junior Mary Kate Moreau (Berkley, Mass.) and Bigeau notched RBI singles before Gauvin laced a two-run single to center.

Clark would plate one run in the botto of the seventh as graduate student Jessica Martin (Winthrop, Mass.) walked, advanced to second on a ground and eventually scored on an RBI double from Crowley, but Moreau induced a game ending strikeout, resulting in the 13-8 final. 

Inside the Numbers

• Fifth meeting between the Falcons and the Cougars on the softball field with Fitchburg State 3-2 all-time when taking on Clark
• Gauvin went3-for-4 with a double, one run scored and three RBI
• Leveille added one hit and two RBI for the Falcons
• Moreau collected the win for Fitchburg State, allowing one run on three hits with one K over 2.2 innings of relief
• For the Cougars, Salvati finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored
• Berkley took the loss for Clark, giving up five runs (two earned) on three hits over 0l2 innings of relief.

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Friday as they travel to Salem State to take on the Vikings in a conference double header, starting at 2:00PM.