Falcons Sweep Raiders in Non-Conference Play
Rivier (5-21) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 1
Fitchburg St. (21-13) 2 0 0 0 1 1 X 4 6 1
2B: McKenzie Lambert
2B: McKenzie Lambert; Mikayla Harnois
Fitchburg, Mass. –The Fitchburg State University softball team picked up a sweep over the Raiders of Rivier University, 6-1/4-1 in non-conference action at Donna Lee Memorial Softball Field this afternoon.
Score: Fitchburg State 6, Rivier 1 (Game 1)
Records: Fitchburg State (21-13) | Rivier (5-21)
How It Happened - Game One
Fitchburg State opened the scoring in the home half of the first inning. With runners on second and third freshman Olivia Pietersen (Norton, Mass.) delivered a deep sacrifice fly to center field scoring Maddie Medina (Pelham, NH) who had drawn a one-out walk.
With the bases full of Falcons, Rivier pitcher Courtney Trahan (Brooklyn, Conn.) hit freshman Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) to add a run for the Green and Gold. Up next first year Hailey O'Brien (Lynnfield, Mass.) reached on a fielding error by the Raiders leftfielder platting two more runs for Fitchburg.
Trailing 6-0, Rivier broke up the shutout with an RBI single from junior Tayla Legrand (Tewksbury, Mass.) in the bottom of the sixth inning for the 6-1 final.
O'Brien earned her first collegiate victory going six innings with 2 hits, 1 earned run, and seven strikeouts.
Taylor Colvin (Lancaster, Mass.) closed out the seventh inning with three K's to retire the side
Mikayla Harnois (Attleboro, Mass.) went a game-best 3-for-3 with a double and a walk, while Medina and Johnson each had two hits for the Falcons
Trahan took the loss in the circle surrendering six earned runs over 3.1 innings for the Raiders
Kasey Smith (Hopkinton, NH), Nicole Capra (Lowell, Mass.) and Legrand had the hits for Rivier
How It Happened - Game Two
The Falcons once again came out swinging in the first inning. With the bases Audrey Johnson and Emma Campbell (Goffstown, NH) each laced RBI singles as Fitchburg State grabbed a 2-0 edge.
Rivier cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth as sophomore Katie Welch (Wilmington, Mass.) connected on a RBI single up the middle to plate Sarah McCluskey (Lowell, Mass.).
The Green and Gold regained the 2 run advantage in the bottom of the fifth. Junior McKenzie Lambert (Wilbraham, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch after opening the frame with a double to left center. Fitchburg State would cap the scoring in the bottom of the sixth with O'Brien crossing the plate on a wild pitch, resulting in the 4-1 final.
16th meeting between the two schools on the softball diamond with the Falcons 14-2 vs the Raiders
Colvin picked up the win for Fitchburg State, allowing just one hit with three K's in 3.1 innings of releif
Lambert finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Johnson and Cambell added one hit and one RBI each for the Falcons
Sarah McCluskey (Lowell, Mass.) hit 2-for-3 with one run scored and a stolen base for the Raiders
Sydney Greeno (Shirley, Mass.) took the loss for Rivier, yielding four runs (3 earned) on six hits with three strikeouts in the complete game effort.
Falcons travel to Salem State on Friday to take on the Vikings for a MASCAC twin-billing, starting at 2:00 PM. Raiders will visit Anna Maria on Thursday as they battle the AMCATS for a GNAC double-header at 3:00 PM.