Softball Opens MASCAC Play with Sweep of Fitchburg State

Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team opened Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action this afternoon at home with a sweep of Fitchburg State University at Maple Street Field. The Rams took the opener 6-2 before blanking the Falcons 3-0 in the nightcap.

The games were originally scheduled to be played in Fitchburg but were moved to Framingham due to unplayable field conditions in Fitchburg from the recent storm. 

The Rams improve to 12-6 overall and are now 2-0 in the league, while the Falcons are now 3-9 overall and 0-2 in the league.

The Rams scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to secure the victory in the opener.  Junior Dayna Marchant (East Bridgewater, Mass.) tripled to left center with one out and classmate Megan Downing (Hanson, Mass.) drove her in with a well-placed squeeze bunt to give the Rams their first lead of the game.  Sophomore Kayla Finacchiaro (Natick, Mass.) followed driving in two runs with a single to center and freshman Kyla Johnson (North Attleboro, Mass.) plated a run on a base hit.

Fitchburg State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.  Sophomore Damari Grossi (Medford, Mass.) reached on an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Grossi crosses the plate on an error for the game's first run.

Junior Anna Dziok (Southampton, Mass.) tied the game in the top of the second with a solo homer to left.

The Falcons grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the third on an RBI ground from Emily Comtois (Windham, NH) that drove in Grossi who had reached on an infield single.

Dziok tied the game again for the Rams in the top of the fourth when she reached on an single to left and scored on a three base error.

Sophomore Kelsi Gunarathne (North Providence, RI) recorded her eighth win of the year going seven innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Galen Kerr took the loss for the Falcons going six innings and allowing six runs, five earned on six hits with four strikeouts.

In game two the Rams plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and one in the second to secure the win.  Finacchiaro came up with a two run single in the first, while Kylie Boyle (Billerica, Mass.) and Lauren Salisbury (Cranston, RI) hit back-to-back doubles in the send to score the third run.

Junior Jessica Pietersen (Norton, Mass.) earned the win in game two going seven innings and allowing no runs on just two hits with four strikeouts.  Kaylee Sylvestre took the loss for Fitchburg State allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts.

The Rams are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Brandeis at 4 p.m., while the Falcons are scheduled to host Becker on Tuesday at 3 p.m.