Brodeur & Sousa lead the way for the Green & Gold

Melbourne, FL. – The Fitchburg State University softball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests on day three action of the 2025 Space Coast Spring Games as the Falcons dropped an 8-0 decision to the Prairie Wolves of Nebraska Wesleyan in the opener before falling 8-7 to the Fighting Scots of Monmouth College in the nightcap.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 0, Nebraska Wesleyan 8 (Six Inn) (GM1)

Score: Fitchburg State 7 Monmouth 8 (GM 2)

Records: Fitchburg State (1-4, 0-0 MASCAC) I Nebraska Wesleyan (8-2, 0-0 ARC)

Records: Fitchburg State (1-5, 0-0 MASCAC) I Monmouth (2-8, 0-0 MCC

How It Happened

Game One

Nebraska Wesleyan opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as graduate student Hanna Roth (Lincoln, NE) homered to left field for the 1-0 edge. The Prairie Wolves doubled the lead (2-0) in the following frame with sophomore Taylor Korecky (Lincoln, NE), stole second, advanced to third on a throwing miscue and scored on a RBI ground out from senior Addi Duranski (Columbus, NE).

Nebraska Wesleyan upped the margin to 5-0 in the bottom of the third when graduate student Val Gerlach (Waverly, NE) doubled to center field and crossed the plate on a passed ball, while Korecky and senior Paige Davison (Omaha, NE) would also eventually come around to score on passed balls.

The  Prairie Wolves secured the victory in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore Eva Fahrnbruch (Aurora, NE) reached on a fielding miscue, stole second and scored on an RBI double to center field off the bat of sophomore Kamdyn Sprunk (Omaha, NE), resulting in the 8-0 final.

Inside the Numbers

• First meeting between Fitchburg State and Nebraska Wesleyan on the softball field with the Falcons 0-1 all-time when taking on the Prairie Wolves
• Freshman Carolyn Brodeur (Ashby, MA) led the way for the Falcons, going 1-for-2 with a double
• Senior Mackenzie Leveille (Brooklyn, CT) took the loss for Fitchburg State giving up seven runs (2 earned) on six hits and one K over 4.2 innings of work
• For the Prairie Wolves, Roth hit 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and one RBI
• Graduate student Elise Warneke (Bennington, NE) picked up the win for Nebraska Wesleyan, allowing just one hit and eight strikeouts in the complete game effort

Game Two
Monmouth grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as junior Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, IL) singled to short, advanced to third on a throwing miscue and crossed the plate on an RBI triple to right center off the bat of senior Grace Wyman (Pekin, IL) before freshman Shelby Covey (Peoria, IL) brought in Wyman with an RBI ground out.

Fitchburg State answered in the bottom of the first with Brodeur and freshman Paige Konopka (Middlefield, CT) singled, moved to second and third on throwing miscue before junior Adria McKenzie (Lowell, MA) singled to right field to drive in Brodeur to make the score 2-1.

The Fighting Scots upped the advantage to 5-1 in the top of the second when Covey ripped a three-run double to left field that scored Wyman, freshman Brooklyn Manners (Burleson, TX) and sophomore Alexis Hardy (Rushville, IL).

The Falcons responded in the bottom of the second, scoring five runs on five hits as they loaded the bases with junior Shaelyn Burns (North Andover, MA) being hit by pitch before freshman Lauren Ahearn (Danvers, MA) and classmate Emily Bennett (Gorham, ME) connecting on back-to-back singles, while Brodeur followed with a two-run double to left center and senior Isabella Sousa (Charlton, MA) registering a two-run single for the 6-5 edge.

Fitchburg State upped the lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth with sophomore Danielle Frth (Templeton, MA) drawing a walk, moving to second on a sacrifice but and scoring on throwing miscue for the 7-5 margin. Monmouth rallied in the top of the seventh as Wyman laced an RBI single to right field that scored Manners before Freshman Brooklyn  Millhollin (Peoria, IL) followed with a two-run triple to right center, resulting in the 8-7 final.

Inside the Number

• Third meeting between Fitchburg State and Mpnmouth on the softball field with the Falcons 1-2 all-time when taking on the Fighting Scots
•  Brodeur led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI
•  McKenzie added two hits, one run scored and one RBI for the Green & Gold
• Junior Madison Solt (Salem, NH ) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, giving up eight runs on 14 hits with one strikeout over 6.2 innings of work
• For the Fighting Scots, hit 1-of-4 with a double and four RBI
• Sophomore Allison Hefflefinger (Olin, IL) picked up victory for Monmouth, allowing seven runs (6 earned) on ten hit and five strikeouts in the complete game effort

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Thursday as they take on the Yellow Jackets of Defiance College and the Blue Devils of  Lawrence Tech at 10:00AM and 12:15PM.

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