Vikings Sail Past Falcons

First Game on Riccards Field in 724 Day

Fitchburg, Mass. – For the first time in 724 days there was a game played on Riccards field as the Fitchburg State Baseball team fell to the Vikings of Salem State 11-10 in non-conference action on Sunday morning.

Basics:

Score: Fitchburg State 10, Salem State 11
Records: Fitchburg State (1-6, 1-3 MASCAC), Salem State (2-1, 1-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

The Vikings opened the game with singles from Shawn Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.) and Jake Boucher Cheshire, Conn.) to set the table for Jack Sefrino (Dartmouth, Mass.) who delivered a single to centerfield for the 2-0 lead. Salem would double the score to lead 4-0 after one frame.

Salem added another run on a groundout RBI from Boucher in the top of the second inning to push the lead to 5-1.

The Falcons scratched out a run in the bottom of the third. In a failed pick-off attempt of Nicholas Cordeau (Melrose, Mass.), teammate Jamie Velez (Lowell, Mass.) scampered home from third. In the next frame the Falcons cut the deficit to 5-4. Junior Vincent Eramo (Shirley, Mass.) led off the inning with an infield single, Brad Keefe (Dracut, Mass.) followed with a single to left center. Senior Cameron Donahue (Methuen, Mass.) plated Eramo with a whistling single to left field and Zachary May (Rochdale, Mass.) added a RBI single to centerfield.

Salem added a pair of runs in the 6^th frame after capitalizing on a Green and Gold miscue, Wilbur Rosario (Lynn, Mass.) delivered a 2 RBI single to left field.

The Falcons would score the next six runs, three in the sixth and three in the seventh to take a 10-7 lead. May, Keefe and Richard Sharp (Townsend, Mass.) each had RBI singles in the sixth. In the seventh with one out and Donahue on after a leadoff double, Cordeau laced a single to left field scoring Donahue. Cordeau came around to score on Jackson Vail's (Grafton, Mass.) double to centerfield. Senior Matthew Pingitore (Rutland, Mass.) had a pinch hit single to score Vail.

The Vikings scored two runs in the eighth inning to make it a 10-9 game and Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) delivered the game-winning RBI in the top of the ninth.

By The Numbers

• Cordeau and Keefe each had three hits for the Falcons, who had 17 as a team
• Cordeau and May each collected 2RBI
• Senior Austin Alzate (Narragansett, RI) had a strong performance in relief for the Falcons, allowing 2 unearned runs over 4.2 innings with three K's
• Matthew Ambrosino (Bradenton, Fla) took the loss on the bump, his record is now 1-1
• Sefrino had the big day for Salem, going 2-for-5 with 3 RBI, while Rosario added 2 RBI's
• Freshman Nicholas Rector (Mantua, NJ) notched his first win, pitching the last 2.2 inning allowing no runs, with 2 hits and three K's

UP NEXT

The Falcons are off until Saturday when they travel to MMA for a doubleheader, Salem will face Bridgewater State on Friday for a MASCAC twinbill.