Fitchburg State Registers Spilt With Regis

Falcons post 2-1 victory in game one, fall in night cap, 5-3

WESTON, Mass. (April, 11, 2013) – The Fitchburg State softball was in action this evening, earning a spilt against Regis College on the road, The Falcons edged Regis College, 2-1 in the opening contest before falling 5-3 in game two.

Fitchburg State 2, Regis 1 (Game 1)

In the first game of the evening, Fitchburg State posted two runs on nine hits en-route to the 2-1 victory in game one. With the win the Falcons improved to 9-12 on the season, while Regis fell to 7-14.

Fitchburg State was led offensively by junior Allison Page (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield), hitting 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base, while sophomore Colleen Flaherty (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) aided the offense with a pair of singles, two runs scored and a steal. Junior Ashley Forgues (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) was also solid, finishing with two base hits and a stolen base.

For Regis freshman Haley Fountain (Warren, Mass./Quabbin Regional) paced the offense, going 2-for-3 at the dish including a double, while classmates Kirbie Garvey (Littleton, Mass./Littleton) and Katie Cuozzo (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical) and sophomore Samantha Bliss (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) each collect a hit.

The Falcons took the lead in the top of the fourth inning as Page connected on a two-out single to right field to plate Flaherty for the 1-0 advantage. Flaherty reached base via a catcher's interference call, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on Page's run scoring base hit.

The Green and Gold upped its lead in the sixth frame, taking advantage of a fielding error. Flaherty again sparked the offense, leading the inning off with a single through the right side, stole second and scored on the Pride miscue to make the score 2-0.

The hosts rallied in following inning, cutting the lead to just one as Fountain opened the frame with a base hit to left center, stole second and scored on a wild pitch but Fitchburg State pitcher Brittany Whiting (Sharon, Mass./Sharon) would retire the next hitter, inducing a game ending ground out to secure the 2-1 victory.

In the circle, Whiting allowed just one earned run on six hits (6 K's) to pick up her fourth win of the year in a complete game effort for the Falcons, while Fountain took the loss, giving up two runs (1 earned) on nine hits and three strikeouts for Regis.

Regis 5, Fitchburg State, 3 (Game 2)

In the nightcap, Regis College rebounded, scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 stalemate, defeating Fitchburg State, 5-3 to earn the spilt.

Following two scoreless innings of play, the Pride opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning as Fountain delivered a clutch two-out run scoring double to right field to plate Bliss, who had reached one batter earlier on a single back up the middle for the 1-0 lead.

Fitchburg State knotted the score (1-1) in the top of the sixth inning when sophomore Amanda Whitelaw (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) scored off an RBI single from newcomer Hailey Thibault (Swansea, Mass./Joseph Case).

Regis responded in their half of the inning, scoring four runs on RBI hits by freshman Michaela NeJaime (Sandisfield, Mass./Monument Mountain Regional) and sophomore Shannon Simonelli (Providence, R.I./Classical) before Garvey laced a two-run single to center field for the 5-1 margin.

The Falcons continued to battle in the top of the seventh frame, loading the bases with one out on singles from freshman Marissa Gemma (Leominster, Mass./Leominster), Forgues and junior Marissa Binnall (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) before freshman Tori Cyrus (Everett, Mass./Everett) plated a pair of runs with a base knock through the left side to make the score 5-3.

That's as close as the Falcons would get however as Cuozzo was able to get out of the jam, setting down the next two batters to secure the series spilt for the Pride.

For Regis, Cuozzo and Garvey led the game two offensive surge, combining for three hits and a pair of RBI, while Fountain chipped in with double and one RBI. For the Falcons, Cyrus went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while Binnall added a pair of singles.

On the mound, Cuozzo earned the win, yielding three runs (2 earned) on nine hits for the Pride in the complete game effort, while junior Kerry Alcott (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) suffered the setback, allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings of work for Fitchburg State.

Fitchburg State (9-13, 1-3 MASCAC) returns to action on Saturday as it hosts the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime Academy for a double header starting at 1 p.m. Regis College (8-14, 4-4 NECC) will travel to Daniel Webster College on Saturday for a double header starting at 12 p.m.