FITCHBURG, MA: The Fitchburg State baseball team split today's doubleheader against Worcester State in MASCAC action. Game one was a walk-off effort for the Falcons, winning 1-0, while game two was a close, contested battle, with them falling 9-7.  

THE BASICS:

- Date: 4/21/2025

- Score: Fitchburg 1, Worcester 0 GM1. Worcester 9, Fitchburg 7 GM2.

- Records: Worcester (18-10, 9-6 MASCAC), Fitchburg (12-13, 6-7 MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  Game one was the definition of a pitchers' duel between Demetrius Sampalis (N. Scituate, RI) of Fitchburg and Nolan Turner from Worcester. Sampalis went 5.2 innings and allowed just four hits before being replaced. Turner tried to complete seven innings but fell just short at 6.2 with nine hits allowed.

-  The Falcons' bottom half of the seventh inning started with a single by Liam Goldstein (Charlestown, RI) to right center. Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, MA) would follow that up with a hit of his own down the right field line, getting Goldstein to third. Joseph Abt (Newbury, MA) would then lift a fly ball to left field that would be deep enough for Goldstein to cross the plate for the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Shane Daly (Rockland, MA) got the win (1-1) after pitching 0.2 innings with no hits and runs allowed.

-  Turner finished the game on the mound with 9 hits allowed, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. The loss will drop him to 1-1 on the season.

-  Hurrell led the team on offense, going 3-for-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Worcester would score first in game two in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly by Tyler Smith. The 1-0 lead would only last until the bottom of the second inning when Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) hit an RBI single to center field.

- Worcester would then score six unanswered runs to make the game 7-1. The fourth inning saw another sac fly, this time by Chris Mondesir. The fifth had a two-run double by Kevin Doyle and another sac fly by Tyler Normandie. The sixth would have two more scored on a Ryan Jewett single through the left side.

- After falling behind 7-1, the Falcons would rally back by putting almost every ball in play. The Lancers' defense struggled with the volume of balls hit at them and committed four errors in the inning. Only one run of the six scored in the bottom of the sixth scored on a hit, and that was another single by Kelly to left field.

- The top of the seventh saw the last runs of the game. The Lancers bounced back after the defensive blunders and started the inning with a leadoff double by Smith to right center. The very next batter was Normandie, and he would take the first pitch he saw deep to left field to put them back up and get the 9-7 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Matthew Direnzo would get the win (2-1) after going 1.2 innings, allowing no hits or runs, with 1 strikeout.

-  Marco Carrillo (Newbury, MA) suffered the loss (0-1) after pitching 2 innings and allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, and striking out 2.

-  Normandie was the top hitter in the game, going 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and a home run.

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State baseball will return to action Friday when they travel to Westfield State for the nine-inning game that is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM.

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