Game Stories on both baseball and softball doubleheaders
Northborough, Mass. – The Framingham State University baseball team dropped both ends of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) baseball doubleheader this afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex falling 6-1 in the opener with Salem State before the Vikings came from behind for an 8-6 victory in the night cap.
With the wins, the Vikings improve to 19-17 on the year and 8-4 in the league, while the Rams dip to 14-19 overall and are now 4-8 in the MASCAC.
The Vikings tallied a pair of runs in the top of the first inning of the opener to take the early lead. Brendan
Greene (Winchester, Mass.) doubled to lead off the game and Joe Kasper (Lynn, Mass.) followed with a double scoring Greene. Joe Whiter (Bellingham, Mass.) plated Kasper with a sacrifice fly to deep left.
The Vikings doubled the advantage in the top of third on RBI single from Dan Connors (Danvers, Mass.) and Alex Toomey (Beverly, Mass.).
The Rams received their only run in the game on a solo homerun to deep left by senior Ryan Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) in the bottom of the fourth.
The Vikings tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth to reach the final margin. Kasper and White finished the game with two RBI apiece.
Steve Leavitt (Peabody, Mass.) earned the win for the Vikings going seven innings and allowing one earned run on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
Junior Mike Raymond (Stoneham, Mass.) took the loss for the rams going four innings and allowing six earned runs on seven hits with a strikeout and a walk. Sophomore Kyle Hodgson (Berkley, Mass.) and classmate Michael Raymond (Peabody, Mass.) combined for three scoreless innings of relief.
In game two, the Vikings once again got on the scoreboard first on an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Kasper in the top of the third inning.
In the bottom of the frame the Rams grabbed the lead. Senior Manny Powers (Malden, Mass.) singled with runners on the corners to tie the score and sophomore Jordan Pallazola (Rockport, Mass.) belted a three run homerun to left for the 4-1 lead.
A solo homerun from Toomey in the top of the fourth cut the deficit to 4-2 for the Vikings who went on to take the lead in the top of the fifth. White plated a run with a single and Andrew Deloury (Andover, Mass.) plated two with a double as the Vikings led 6-4.
The Vikings capitalized on a pair of Ram errors in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 8-4. The Rams loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning and sophomore Kyle Dembrowski (Natick, Mass.) delivered a pinch hit two RBI single to right cutting the deficit to 8-6. Salem was able to work out of the jam in the sixth without any further damage and retired the Rams in the seventh to secure the victory.
Junior Al Wallach (Nahant, Mass.) took the loss on the hill for the Rams going four and a third allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Freshman Richie Sharp (Townsend, Mass.) earned the victory for the Vikings going five and a third and allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits.
The Rams are back in action on Friday when they travel to Keene State at 3:30 p.m., while the Vikings host Fitchburg State in a pair of MASCAC games on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team secured at least a share of the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) softball title and the top seed in next week’s MASCAC Tournament with a 3-0 victory over Salem State University in the opener of a MASCAC doubleheader this afternoon at Maple Street Field. The Vikings rebounded for a 4-1 triumph in the nightcap handing the Rams their first conference loss on the year.
With the split, the Rams improve to 25-9 on the year and 11-1 in the MASCAC. The Rams, who were ranked sixth in New England in this week’s NCAA Division III Regional Rankings, capture their first MASCAC regular season crown.
The Vikings are now 19-15 on the season and 7-5 in the conference.
The Rams received a complete game shutout from sophomore Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, RI) in the opener. Gunarathne recorded her sixth shutout of the season allowing just three hits over seven innings with five walks and five strikeouts.
The Rams got on the board first in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior Anna Dziok (Southampton, Mass.) singled and senior Kyle Boyle (Billerica, Mass.) followed with a base hit giving the Rams runners on first and second and two outs. Junior Megan Downing (Hanson, Mass.) followed with an RBI single scoring Dziok with the only run the Rams would need.
The Rams tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a single and error on a ball to right by Boyle and a sacrifice fly from Downing.
Junior Meghan Black (Winchendon, Mass.) took the loss for the Vikings going six innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on 10 hits with a strikeout and no walks.
Junior Marisa Sanchez (Framingham, Mass.) accounted for two of the Vikings three hits in the game. Boyle, Dziok and junior Dayna Marchant (East Bridgewater, Mass.) recorded two hits apiece for the Rams in the opener.
In game two, the Vikings scored three runs in the top of the first and never looked back as they handed the Rams their first conference loss of the year. Bobbie Dee Regan (Lynn, Mass.) plated the Vikings first run on an RBI single. Ivy Donoldi (Medfield, Mass.) and Samantha Holey (Lynn, Mass.) followed with RBI base hits for the 3-0 advantage.
The Vikings added a single run in the top of the second on an RBI fielder’s choice pushing the lead to 4-0.
Senior Marissa Flynn (Marlborough, Mass.) plated the Rams lone run in the game on a sacrifice fly to left in the bottom of the fifth.
Ileish Burney (Bristol, Conn.) earned the win for the visitors in the circle going seven innings and allowing one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts.
Junior Jessica Pietersen (Norton, Mass.) took the loss for the Rams going seven innings and allowing four runs, one earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts.
The Rams are back in action on Saturday when they host Bridgewater State on Senior Day for a pair of MASCAC contests beginning at 1 p.m., while the Vikings host Fitchburg State also on Saturday in a MASCAC doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
