Falcons Edged By Buccaneers In MASCAC Semifinals

Hills paces Green and Gold with three hits

Bridgewater, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University Baseball team dropped a 7-5 decision to the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime Academy in semifinal round action of the 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Post-Season Tournament from Carney Field.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 5, Mass. Maritime 7

Records: Fitchburg State (19-21, 9-12 MASCAC) I Mass. Maritime (22-19, 10-11)

How It Happened

Fitchburg State opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when senior Vincent Eramo (Shirley, Mass.) singled through the left side to score junior Maxwell Kelly (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) before sophomore Jacob Hurrell (Haverhill, Mass.) followed with RBI single through the left side, bringing in Eramo.

Sophomore Nolan Hills (Danvers, Mass.) doubled to left, plating senior Zachary Malek (Schenectady, N.Y.) before newcomer Matthew Kelly (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) drove in Hurrell with a single to center field for the 4-0 advantage.

The Falcons upped the lead to 5-0 in the top of third as Malek reached on a fielders' choice, advanced to third on a double from Hurrell and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Hills. Mass. Maritime answered back in the bottom of the fifth with freshman Michael Logiudice (Bridgewater, Mass.) and senior Zach Sylvia (Brockton, Mass.) collecting RBI's before senior Aidan Henderson (Hanover, Mass.) ripped a two-run double to center field to trim the lead to 5-4.

The Buccaneers grabbed the lead in the following frame when sophomore Michael Estrada (Covington, La.) and senior Chris Perito (E. Falmouth, Mass.) walked with one out, advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, while senior John Tropea (E. Sandwich, Mass.) drove in Estrada and Perito with a two-run single to center field to make the score 6-5.

Mass. Maritime pushed across an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as senior Frank Aten (Brockton, Mass.) singled, moved to second a sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate on a Logiudice single to center field, resulting in the 7-5 final.

By The Numbers

Hills led the way for the Falcons, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI

• Hurrell went 2-of-4 with a double, one run scored and an RBI for the Green and Gold
• Sophomore Jason Bickford (Exeter, N.H.) gave up four runs on seven hits and three K's over five innings of work for Fitchburg State in a no decision
• For the Buccaneers, Henderson finished 1-for-4 with two RBI
• Senior Brodey Tinkham (Norton, Mass.) earned the win for Mass. Maritime, allowing five runs on 13 hits and four strikeouts in the complete game effort
• 84th meeting between the Falcons and the Buccaneers on the diamond with Fitchburg State 34-50 all-time when taking on Mass. Maritime

Up Next

Falcons conclude the 2023 campaign with an overall record of 19-21 and a 9-12 clip within conference play.