Baseball Collects Split With Vikings

Fitchburg, MA: The Fitchburg State baseball team earned a split with the Vikings of Salem State University this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from Riccards Field as the Falcons took game one 8-6 before dropping the nightcap 8-5.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 4/1/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 8, Salem State 6 (GM1)
- Score: Fitchburg State 5, Salem State 8 (GM2)

- Records: Fitchburg State (6-13, 1-2 MASCAC), Salem (9-5, 2-1 MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  Salem State grabbed the lead in the top of the second frame as senior James Dolan (Rockland, MA) doubled to left field to bring in freshman Ryan Barbieri (Cheshire, CT) before sophomore Aidan Lynch (North Andover, MA) and newcomer Antoino Belgrove (Stamford, CT) added RBI's for the 3-0 advantage.

- Fitchburg State answered in their half of the second with newcomer Luke Sterner (Stafford, VA) drawing a walk, moving third on double off the bat of senior Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) and crossing the plate on an RBI groundout by sophomore Joseph Abt (Newbury, MA), while Kelly came across to score on a sacrifice fly from junior Liam Goldstein (Charlestown, RI) to make the score 3-2.

- The Falcons took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when junior Matthew Smith (Flanders, NJ) was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on base knocks by classmate Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, MA) and sophomore Adam Koza (Windham, NH) before Sterner laced a two run single to right, while Abt followed with a two-run double to left center, resulting in the 8-6, game one victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Abt led the way for the Falcons, going 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI

-  Sterner hit 1-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI

-  Freshman Joseph Stawski (Niantic, CT) collected his first collegiate victory for Fitchburg State, allowing six runs (5 earned) on nine hits with three K's and one walk in the complete game effort

-  For the Viking, freshman Nolan Currier (Beverly, MA) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored

-  Belgrove chipped in with one hit, one run scored and two RBI

-  Graduate student Brock Pare (Lowell, MA) took the loss for Salem State, yielding six runs on four hit to go along with three strikeouts and four walks over 5.1 innings pitched

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Salem State took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first with sophomore Owen Duggan (Billerica, MA) and freshman Yabdriel Gonzalez (New Haven, CT) registering sacrifice flies. The Vikings pushed the lead to 5-0 in the top of the third when graduate student Mark Smith (East Haven, CT) singled through the left side and eventually scored on an RBI double by Duggan, while Duggan crossed the plate as senior Edward Field (Gloucester, MA) laced a single to right center.

- The visitors upped the advantage to 7-0 in the top of the fifth as Gonzalez registered a two-run single up the middle, plating Duggan and senior Jake Boucher (Wallingford, CT). Fitchburg State trimmed the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth when Smith singled, moved to second on a base hit from Hurrell before Koza ripped a two-run double down the left field line and Sterner followed with an RBI double, while Abt added a run scoring single up the middle. Salem State secured the victory in the top of the sixth with Smith driving newcomer Dylan Adamson (Lunenburg, MA) with a single to center, resulting in the 8-5 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This afternoon's contest marked the 118th ever meeting between Fitchburg State and Salem State with the Falcons 27-91 all-time when taking on the Vikings

-  Sterner paced the Falcons, going 2-of-3 with a double, one run scored and an RBI

-  Koza added a double, one run scored and three RBI for the Green and Gold

-  Freshman Shane Daly (Rockland, MA) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, giving up seven runs (5 earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks over four innings of work

-  For the Vikings, Smith collect three hits, two runs scored and an RBI

-  Duggan chipped in with two hits, including a double, two runs scored and two RBI

-  Freshman Cam Fisher (Burlington, CT) picked up the win for Salem State, giving up four runs on nine hits as well as four K's and a pair of walk in five innings of work

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action tomorrow as they travel to Keene State to take on the Owls for a non-conference clash, starting at 2:00PM.

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