By Keith Brouillard, Fitchburg State College SID
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
FITCHBURG, Mass. -- The Fitchburg State softball team suffered a pair of setbacks in a MASCAC doubleheader with Bridgewater State College on Monday afternoon. The Falcons dropped a 6-2 decision in game one, before falling 5-1 in game two.
In the first game of the day, Bridgewater State clinched their 11th victory of the season, using a six run, ten hit attack in the process. Senior Meghan Noyes (Stoughton, MA) led all Bear hitters, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and one run scored, while classmate Lauren Cucinotta (Franklin, MA) collected a pair of singles and one RBI. Freshman Brianna Strecker (Waterford, CT) was also strong, chipping in with a 2-for-3 effort and one run scored.
After three innings of scoreless play, Bridgewater State broke the game’s scoring drought with a three run, fourth inning. Junior Casey Hill (Randolph, MA) sparked the rally with a two-out RBI double, before scoring on a Falcon error.
The Bears would double their lead to 6-0 in the sixth inning as Cucinotta and Noyes belted RBI hits. Cucinotta ignited the Bridgewater State scoring surge with a RBI base-knock to left-center, before Noyes stepped in and laced a two-run single to right..
The Falcons mustered a pair of runs in the seventh stanza, using RBI singles from freshman Jill Moses (Dedham, MA) and junior Lauren Donell (Ayer, MA), but the Fitchburg State comeback fell short as veteran hurler Jamie Ducinsky (Duxbury, MA) shut the door for the Bears.
Ducinsky picked up the win for Bridgewater State, improving to 3-7 on the season with seven innings of two run ball. She scattered seven hits throughout the contest, while striking out nine in her complete game effort. Senior Bethany Stone (Wells, ME) took the loss for the Falcons (1-7), giving up six unearned runs on ten hits and three strike outs.
In the nightcap, Bridgewater State was able to edge out another victory as the Bears topped the Falcons, 5-1, for their fourth conference victory of the season.
Leading the way for Bridgewater State was senior left-fielder Megan Noyes, who tallied another set of base-hits, finishing 2-for-3 with one run scored. Sophomore Michaela Ferreira (Fall River, MA) was also strong with a single and two RBI, while classmate Jordan McDermott (East Bridgewater, MA) added a pair of runs, one hit and one RBI.
Fitchburg State put forth a six hit attack in game two led by senior Leigh Trzcinski (Worcester, MA), who finished 2-for-4 with a double. Junior Meghan Jenkins (Dedham, MA) also collected a double and one run in the contest, while Moses and sophomore Ashley McKinnon (Raynham, MA) each added a hit.
Fitchburg State jumped out to 1-0 advantage in the opening frame, using back-to-back hits by Jenkins and McKinnon to plate a run, but Bridgewater State rallied back, taking a 2-1 lead in the top of the third on a two run single by Ferreira. In the sixth, the Bears upped their lead to 5-1, using a single by McDermott and Falcons miscues to score a trio of runs.
On the mound, freshman Meghan Dunn (Colchester, CT) earned the win for the Bears (7-5), allowing one unearned run on six hits and a pair of strikeouts. Junior Nicole Monroe (Townsend, MA) took the loss for Fitchburg State, falling to 4-8 on the year with a five-run, six hit complete game effort.
Fitchburg State (7-19, 1-7 MASCAC) returns to action on Thursday as it travels to Keene State College at 3 p.m. Bridgewater State (12-15, 4-2 MASCAC) returns to action tomorrow as it hosts Westfield State in a conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.