Baseball Falls Twice To Lancers In Conference Twin Bill

Abt notched three hits for the Falcons

Fitchburg, MA – The Fitchburg State University Baseball team dropped a pair of contests to the Lancers of Worcester State in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from Riccards Field this afternoon by the scores of 11-5 and 2-1.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 5, Worcester State 11 (GM1)
Score: Fitchburg State 1, Worcester State 2 (GM2)

Records: Fitchburg State (3-19, 1-9 MASCAC) l Worcester State (10-9, 8-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Game One

Worcester State opened the scoring in the top of the second as junior Derek De La Cruz (Providence, RI) singled to right field to drive in senior Nathan Thurber (Framingham, MA) before junior Cameron Early (Worcester, MA) plated De La Cruz with a groundout to third for the 2-0 edge.

Fitchburg State cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third when sophomore Ruairi Rago (Port Jefferson, NY) was hit by pitch, moved to second on single up the middle from junior Jason Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) and crossed the plate as senior Joseph Abt (Newbury, MA) registered a sacrifice fly to  right field.

The Lancers upped the advantage to 5-1 in the top of the fourth with Early lacing a two-run single to left center that brought in De La Cruz and junior Alan Carpenter (Richmond, VA) before junior Ryan Jewett (Natick, MA) drove in Early with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Falcons answered back in the bottom of the fourth when senior Brady Campbell (Sandwich, MA) singled to right field, advanced to second on a groundout and crossed the plate on an RBI single to right center off the bat of sophomore Benjamin Forbes (Ashburnham, MA) to make the score 5-2.

Trailing 9-2, the Green and Gold pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth as Kelly singled to right field, moved to second a single from Abt, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of sophomore Tyler Fonck (Milford, CT) to trim the deficit to 9-3.

The visitors tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh with Early connecting on a two-run double for the 11-3 edge. Fitchburg State responded in the bottom of the seventh when Rago walked, Kelly was hit by a pitch before Abt doubled to center field to drive in Rago and senior Maxwell Riordan (Pepperell, MA) brought in Kelly with a sacrifice fly to center field, resulting in the 11-5 final.

Game Two

Fitchburg State grabbed a 1-0 edge in the bottom of the first when senior Joshua Googins (Braintree, MA) walked, moved to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on Forbes single to right field and crossed the plate on passed ball.

Worcester State knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth with De La Cruz singling to through the right side to drive in junior Tyler Normandie (Lowell, MA).

The Lancers secured the victory in the top of the seventh as Early was hit by pitch, stole second base and came around to cross the plate on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of sophomore Riggs Catlin (Dedham, MA), resulting in the 2-1 final.

By The Numbers

• Abt paced the Falcons, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI
• Abt, Riordan and Forbes registered one hit each for the Green & Gold in game two
• In game one, senior William Ernst (Worcester, MA) suffered the setback for Fitchburg State, allowing five runs (4 earned) on six hits and two strikeouts over four innings pitched
• Freshman Nolan Berkeley (Burlington, MA) took the loss for Fitchburg State in game two, giving up two runs on six hits and three strikeouts in the complete game effort

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Friday as they travel to Salem State to take on the Vikings in MASCAC action, starting at 4:00PM.

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