Muellers 100th career hit, 4 hit performace leads Falcons to split with Pilgrams

Fitchburg MA - Jessica Mueller earns 100th career hit, as Falcons earn a split over the Pilgrims of New England College, losing game one 13-4, then rallying back for a 16-8 victory in game 2. 

The Basics

Final Scores

Game 1: Fitchburg State 4, New England College 13

Game 2: Fitchburg State 16, New England College 8

Records: Fitchburg State (4–24, 0-12 MASCAC) New England College (14-19, 8-8 GNAC)

How it Happened

Game 1 

Fitchburg State opened strong but couldn't keep pace with a big offensive surge from New England College, falling 13–4 on Tuesday afternoon. The Falcons struck early, as Kiley Connors launched a solo home run in the first inning to tie the game, and Emily Bennett followed with an RBI double in the second to give Fitchburg a 2–1 lead.

The game shifted dramatically in the third inning, when New England College erupted for nine runs on a flurry of hits and capitalized on defensive miscues to take control at 10–2. From there, the visitors added three more runs in the sixth to extend their lead.

Fitchburg State continued to compete offensively, finishing with eight hits. Keegan Kelley recorded a pair of hits, while Bennett drove in two runs to lead the Falcons. Fitchburg State added a run in the fourth and another in the sixth, but was unable to recover from the decisive third inning. In the circle, Madison Solt took the loss, while Brianna Lynch provided relief, combining for six innings of work against a potent New England lineup that totaled 16 hits. 

Game 2

Fitchburg State delivered one of its most explosive offensive performances of the season on Tuesday afternoon, rolling past New England College by a 16–8 final in the second game of the doubleheader to earn a split.

The Falcons wasted no time setting the tone at the plate, jumping out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Amaya Carrion opened the scoring with an RBI single before Ariana Baez followed with a two-run single to give Fitchburg State a quick 3–0 advantage. The Falcons continued to apply pressure in the second inning, adding another run when Julia Cooper reached on an error that allowed Kiley Connors to cross the plate and make it 4–0.

New England College responded in the top of the third, stringing together four runs on a series of timely hits to even the score at 4–4. However, Fitchburg State answered immediately in the bottom half with a decisive nine-run inning that broke the game open.

The Falcons sent 14 batters to the plate in the third, showcasing a relentless offensive attack. Baez sparked the rally once again with an RBI single before Carolyn Brodeur delivered a run-scoring triple to give Fitchburg the lead for good. Rylee Freeman and Lauren Ahearn followed with RBI hits, while Ahearn later came around to score on a wild pitch. Carrion added another RBI knock, and Baez capped the inning with a two-run double. Keegan Kelley drove in the final run of the frame as Fitchburg surged ahead 13–4. At the plate, the Falcons were dominant from top to bottom, finishing with 18 hits in the contest. Baez led the charge with a flawless 4-for-4 performance, driving in five runs and scoring three times. Jessica Mueller was equally impressive, going 4-for-4 with four runs scored, including her 100th career hit, consistently setting the table for the middle of the lineup. Carrion added two hits and two RBI, while Brodeur contributed a triple, double, and two RBI. Freeman and Ahearn also recorded multi-hit efforts as Fitchburg's lineup produced runs in every inning they came to the plate except one.

Despite trailing, New England College continued to battle, plating four runs in the fifth inning to cut into the deficit at 13–8. The Falcons, however, responded once again in the bottom half, capitalizing on defensive miscues and timely hitting to tack on three more runs. Brodeur delivered an RBI double, and Connors drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run, sealing the 16–8 victory via the run rule.

In the circle, Alison Hazel went the distance for Fitchburg State, earning the win after allowing eight runs on 13 hits while striking out four. While New England College found success at times offensively, Hazel limited further damage after the fifth inning surge and benefited from the strong run support.

By the Numbers

• Fitchburg State totaled 20 runs on 26 hits across the doubleheader, including 16 runs in game two.

• The Falcons hit .441 as a team (26-for-59), with a major offensive jump from game one to game two.

• A nine-run third inning in game two marked Fitchburg's biggest inning of the season.

• The team recorded 10 extra-base hits, showing increased power throughout the lineup.

• Ariana Baez and Jessica Mueller both went 4-for-4 in game two, combining for eight hits, nine RBI, and seven runs scored.

• Jessica Mueller recorded her 100th career hit in game 2. 

Up Next

The Falcons will return home on Thursday to take on Bay Path University, starting at 3 and 5 PM. 

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