Baseball Swept by Fitchburg State

FITCHBURG, Mass.  -- The Fitchburg State University baseball team registered its second consecutive MASCAC sweep as it hosted the Bears of Bridgewater State University on Monday afternoon. The Falcons notched a 9-8 victory in game one before posting a 5-4 win in the nightcap.

With the wins, Fitchburg State improves to 21-12 on the season and 6-6 in the MASCAC, while Bridgewater State dips to 11-19 on the year and 4-6 in the league.  After starting the year 3-1 in MASCAC play, the Bears have gone 1-7 in their last eight conference games to fall to seventh place in the conference standings.

In the opener, the Falcons overcame an eight run deficit, scoring nine times over the final three innings for the victory. Fitchburg State touched for two runs in the fifth, before posting four runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh.

Sophomore Mike Martignetti (Boston, Mass.) led the Fitchburg State comeback, blasting the game-winning three run homerun over the left center fence with out in the bottom of the seventh. Classmate Dalton Wheeler (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) was also instrumental in the comeback; connecting for a solo homerun in the sixth, while junior Matthew Higgins (Oxford, Mass.) and freshman Jake Dallaire (N. Attleboro, Mass.) added RBI hits in the rally.

Bridgewater jumped out to a 2-0 lead with single runs in each of the first two innings.  Junior Anthony Deleo (Athol, Mass.) opened the scoring with an RBI ground out plating junior Ryan Manning (Plainville, Mass.) who opened the frame with a double.  Manning added an RBI single in the second.

Senior Shane Varnadore's (Brockton, Mass.) two-run double in the third made it 4-0 in favor of the Bears.

A three-run fourth inning increased the BSU advantage to 7-0.  Sophomore Jacob Souza (Acushnet, Mass.) walked with the bases loaded, while Varnadore capped off the frame with a two-run base knock.

Sophomore Colin Ryan (Quincy, Mass.) singled home Manning with the Bears' eighth run of the game in the top of the fifth.  Manning had reached on a two-out double.

On the mound, freshman Tyler Smith (New Milford, Mass.) earned the victory in relief for the Falcons, tossing an inning of scoreless work. Junior Adam Mullen (Fairhaven, Mass.) suffered the loss for the Bears, yielding three earned runs and two walks in a third of an inning.

At the plate, junior Clayton Beaulieu (Chicopee, Mass.) and freshman Joe Lyons (West Roxbury, Mass.) each had two hits for the Falcons, while Manning, Varnadore and junior Nick White (Bellingham, Mass.) had three hits apiece for the Bears.  Varnadore finished with four runs batted in, while Manning scored two runs and drove in one.

In the night cap, Bridgewater State took an early 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning.  Manning singled to lead off the game, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on White's base hit.  Manning would cross the plate on a balk, while White would come around to score two batters later when Souza reached on an error.

Fitchburg State responded with single runs over the next three innings to take a 3-2 advantage. Senior David Mason (Leominster, Mass.) put the Falcons on the board in the first with an RBI single to drive in Steven Drury, Jr. (Ashburnham, Mass.), while Patrick McMahon (South Windsor, Conn.) and Lyons added RBI's in the second and third innings, respectively.

FSU added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth as junior Pierce Hans (Washington Township, N.J.) collected a sacrifice fly and sophomore Brendan Cutler (Clinton, Mass.) connected for an RBI single.

The Bears inched closer with a pair of runs in the sixth on a two-run single by sophomore Brandon Hoyle (Bridgewater, Mass.), but Smith came on again in relief to halt the Bridgewater State rally. Junior Ryan Magni (West Springfield, Mass.) worked a scoreless seventh frame to clinch the victory of the Falcons and post his third save of the season.

On the offensive end, Drury reached base all three times for the Falcons with a walk, hit-by-pitch and single.  White singled and walked in four plate appearances to pace the BSU offense.

Fitchburg sophomore Javier Lozada (New Bedford, Mass.) gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings to even his record at 3-3 on the season.  BSU junior Chris Pessotti (Burlington, Mass.) allowed five runs on six hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts in the setback for the Bears.  Pessotti is now 2-2 on the season.

Both teams will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30.  The Falcons hosts Eastern Nazarene College while the Bears entertain Wentworth.