Brady Campbell's first career home run isn't enough to surge Falcons past Bucs

FITCHBURG, Mass. — The Fitchburg State baseball team mounted an early offensive surge but could not hold off a persistent attack from Massachusetts Maritime, falling 8-6 in MASCAC action.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 6, Massachusetts Maritime 8

Records: Fitchburg State (8-23, 6-13 MASCAC), Massachusetts Maritime (17-15, 9-11 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Fitchburg State (8-23, 6-13 MASCAC) fought hard throughout the contest, highlighted by a four-run second inning and late offensive pushes, but a big fourth inning by Massachusetts Maritime (17-15, 9-11 MASCAC) proved to be the difference.

The Buccaneers struck first in the opening inning with a solo home run, then extended their lead in the second on a two-run blast to go up 3-0. Fitchburg responded immediately in the bottom half of the second with one of its strongest innings of the game. An RBI single from Benjamin Forbes got the Falcons on the board before Brady Campbell delivered a key moment, launching a three-run home run to left center to give Fitchburg a 4-3 advantage.Massachusetts Maritime answered quickly, tying the game in the third before breaking it open in the fourth inning. Taking advantage of defensive miscues, the Buccaneers plated four runs in the frame—three of them unearned—to take a 7-4 lead. The inning featured aggressive baserunning, timely hitting, and capitalizing on errors, which ultimately shifted momentum away from Fitchburg.

Despite the deficit, Fitchburg State's pitching staff settled in after the fourth. William Ernst provided 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, while Evan Aubin and Shane Daly combined to keep Massachusetts Maritime off the board over the final three innings, giving the Falcons a chance to rally late. Fitchburg chipped away in the eighth inning when Joseph Abt delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 7-5. In the ninth, Abt struck again with an RBI double to bring the Falcons within one at 7-6. However, the comeback effort came up just short as the Buccaneers' bullpen held on to secure the victory.

Offensively, Fitchburg recorded 10 hits on the day, with multiple players contributing to the effort. Tyler Fonck led the way with two hits and two runs scored, while Joseph Abt finished with two hits and two RBI, including both late-game run-producing swings. Brady Campbell's three-run home run in the second inning stood as the Falcons' biggest hit of the game, and Michael Cooper and Benjamin Forbes each added key contributions in the middle of the lineup. On the mound, Nolan Berkeley took the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) over 3.2 innings. Defensive struggles played a role in the outcome, as Fitchburg committed three errors that led to multiple unearned runs for Massachusetts Maritime.

By the Numbers

• Tyler Fonck recorded two hits and scored two runs to pace the offense at the top of the lineup.
• Joseph Abt finished with two hits and two RBI, including run-scoring hits in both the eighth and ninth innings.
• Brady Campbell launched a three-run home run in the second inning, accounting for half of Fitchburg's total runs.
• Fitchburg State totaled 10 hits in the contest, with four extra-base hits contributing to their scoring output.
• The Falcons' pitching staff allowed 12 hits but limited Massachusetts Maritime to just one run over the final five innings.
• William Ernst delivered 2.1 scoreless innings in relief to stabilize the game after the fourth inning.
• Fitchburg State committed three errors, which led to four unearned runs for Massachusetts Maritime.
• The Falcons struck out 10 times at the plate while drawing three walks in the loss.

Up Next

Falcons Baseball will return home on Friday for a non-conference game against Plymouth State starting at 3 PM at Riccards Field. 

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