SALEM  – Salem State held off Fitchburg State 7-5 in game one on Saturday afternoon at the Central Campus
Baseball Field. Joe Kasper (Lynn, Mass.) led the Vikings with a 3-for-3 day with two doubles and three RBI’s. Madoc Fisher‘s (Wayne, N.J.) one-out single drove in Alex Toomey (Beverly, Mass.) and Fisher came all the way around to score on a throwing error as the Vikings took game two, 6-5 in extra innings. Salem State goes to 21-17 and 10-4 in the MASCAC while the Falcons slip to 14-19-1, and 7-7 in conference.
Salem State honored seniors Dan Connors (Danvers, Mass.), Andrew Deloury (Andover, Mass.), Colton Fontaine (Newburyport, Mass.), Joe Kasper (Lynn, Mass.), Teghan Malionek (Salem, Mass.), Jose Martinez (Lawrence, Mass.) and Tim Woods (Wilmington, Mass.) in a pre-game ceremony for their contributions to the baseball program.
Game One
Salem State starter Will Twiss (Middleton, MA) surrendered two runs in the top of the first as he gave up three consecutive base hits to start the game. After a base hit, Nathan Littman (Abington, MA) put himself into scoring position by stealing second.  Andrew Mooney (Framingham, MA) then drove in Littman with a double to the right-center field gap. Sean Maki (Fitchburg, MA) kept the hit parade rolling as he singled to left to push Mooney over to third. Twiss benefited from his defense as left fielder Joe White (Bellingham, MA) laid out for a sliding grab to deny Brennan Cuddahy (Leominster, MA) of an RBI. However, Noah Millard (Leominster, MA) would drive in Mooney with a sacrifice line drive to put Fitchburg State ahead 2-0.
Tyler Smith (New Milford, CT) cruised through the Salem State lineup in the first two innings as he allowed only one hit through the first seven batters. However, the Vikings bats were awoken in the third as they gathered three runs on five hits, including a two-run double from Kasper that scored Teghan Malionek (Salem, MA) and Brendan Greene (Winchester, MA). White gave Salem State their first lead of the afternoon two batters later when he drove in Kasper with a single to right field.
Twiss settled in, as he had a quick fourth inning seeing only four batters. Twiss received additional run support in the fourth inning as the hot bat of Kasper drove in another run on his third hit of the game. Meanwhile, Twiss cruised through the fifth inning as he retired the side in order. The offense continued to roll in the bottom of the fifth as they added two runs to their lead from Andrew Deloury (Peabody, MA) and Jose Cedano (Lawrence, MA) for a Vikings’ 6-2 advantage.
Twiss and the defense gave two runs back to the Falcons in the top of the sixth inning after an error and a walk to Millard. With two outs, Mike St. John (Rehoboth, MA) drove in two runs with a bases clearing triple to right field. However, Twiss got Brandon Lefebvre (Leominster, MA) to ground out to end the inning.
Donnell Hightower (Dorchester, MA) came on in relief for Smith in the sixth inning as he quickly got two outs, but struggled to find the last one before surrendering a run. Tyler Galimi (Northbridge, MA) came in to pinch run for Kasper who was walked. Galimi was able to reach second after Hightower overthrew a pick-off attempt to first base. Dan Connors (Danvers, MA) also reached base after getting hit by a Hightower change up. White drove in Galimi and pushed Connors to third base with a ground-rule double to left field to give Salem State a 7-4 edge.
Twiss came out to face the Falcons in the final inning to get the complete game, but was relieved for the final out after giving up a run off a Maki single that scored Joshua Macomber (Berkley, MA). Tim Woods (Wilmington, MA) struck out Cuddahy, the only batter he faced to secure the 7-5 victory.
Twiss (4-1) went 6.2 innings where he gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits. Smith went five innings allowing runs on 11 hits. Hightower went only 0.2 innings but gave up one run on one hit. Woods earned his fourth save of the year.
Game Two
The Falcons and Vikings each plated a run in the second inning. Cooper Bigelow (Leominster, Mass.) scored the first run of the game with an RBI single. Colton Fontaine (Newburyport, Mass.) tied the game for the Vikings with a ground out. Kasper then put the Vikings on top with a two-run home run in the third that scored Zac Duval (Middleton, Mass.).
Fitchburg State got one back in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Bigelow and took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Cuddahy singled off starter Stephen Keskinidis (Stoneham, Mass.) for the first run, tying the game, before Noah Milliard (Leominster, Mass.) added a run-scoring single to left off reliever Woods.
Keskinidis went 4.1 innings, and allowed two earned runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts for the Vikings.
Fitchburg State held a one-run lead into the seventh, The Falcons replaced starter Mooney, who went six complete innings and gave up three runs on seven hits with a walk. Benjamin Chiasson (Maynard, Mass.) relieved and gave up a leadoff triple to Joe Csokmay (Tewksbury, Mass.). Brendan Greene (Winchester, Mass.) then followed with a game-tying single.  A White base hit and another out put runners on the corners for Salem State, but Chiasson ended the threat, getting Jose Cedano (Lawrence, Mass.) to flyout to force extra innings.
Bigelow led off the eighth inning with a triple for Fitchburg State. Joshua Macomber’s (Berkley, Mass.) single scored Bigelow with the go-ahead run as the Falcons regained the lead, 5-4.
Colton Fontaine (Newburyport, Mass.) opened the bottom of the eighth with a single as Salem State would not go quietly. With one out, Madoc Fisher‘s (Wayne, N.J.) chopper got past Fitchburg State third baseman Macomber. Toomey, who reached on a fielder’s choice, was running on the play. Fisher tried to stretch the hit into a double forcing Falcons left fielder Milliard to throw wide of second base, allowing both Toomey and Fisher to score as Salem State came back to win, 6-5.
Woods picked up the win with 3.2 innings of work, allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts. Chiasson took the loss, going 1.1 innings and allowing three runs (one earned) one five hits.
Both teams will prepare for next week’s MASCAC Tournament with pairings still yet to be determined. Salem State has earned the No. 2 seed and will play a second round game at home next Friday. The Vikings will travel to Babson for a non-conference matchup on Tuesday.
SALEM —  Salem State swept Fitchburg State on “Senior Day” at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings finish the regular season 21-15 and 9-5 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). The Falcons slip to 11-18 and 6-8 in conference.
Before the game Salem State recognized seniors Bobbie Dee Regan (Lynn, Mass.), Jess Raymond (Peabody, Mass.) and student-manager Lindsey Cobb (Whitman, Mass.) for their contributions and dedication to the softball program.
Game One
Meghan Black (Winchendon, Mass.) fired a one-hitter and pinch-runner Kasey Nolan (Braintree, Mass.) scored the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh as Salem State edged Fitchburg State 1-0 in the first game of their scheduled MASCAC doubleheader. Nolan pinch-ran for Samantha Holey (Lynn, Mass.), who had walked; scored the only run of the game from second after an infield error by the Falcons.Â
Black, who struck out one and did not allow a walk, eased through the first six innings as Fitchburg State stranded only three base runners, who had all reached on errors. In the top of the seventh Michelle LeBlanc (Ashburnham, Mass.), broke the no-hitter, with a single up the middle, but Black got Hayley McCarthy (Lawrence, Mass.) to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Fitchburg State starter Galen Kerr (Concord, Mass.) matched zeroes on the scoreboard until the seventh and earned the tough luck loss after scattering five hits with 10 strikeouts and four walks.
Game Two
A pitchers duel developed again in game two. Salem State starter IIeish Burney (Bristol, Conn.) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first, but was tagged for a run in the second as Jessalynne Brown (Malden, Mass.) knocked in Tori Cyrus (Everett, Mass.) with a base hit. Burney settled down and allowed just a single over the fourth and fifth innings. Meanwhile, Kaylee Sylvestre (Central Falls, R.I.) shut out the Vikings’ offense until the fifth. With two outs, Chloe Manousos (Lowell, Mass.) tied the game with a base hit. Dominique Del Vecchio (Stoneham, Mass.) gave Salem State a 2-1 lead as she followed with an RBI single.
Kerr relieved Sylvestre in the sixth and immediately loaded the bases on an error, base hit and walk. Kerr fought back and recorded back-to-back strikeouts, but Manousos delivered a bases clearing double that put Salem State on top 5-1.
Cyrus added a two-out RBI single in the seventh, but Burney closed out the complete game win, as she allowed eight hits and just one earned run with two strikeouts. Sylvestre took the loss, allowing just four hits and two runs with a walk and strikeout.
Damari Grossi (Medford, Mass.) and Brown had two hits apiece for Fitchburg State. Jen Crovo (Melrose, Mass.) went 3-for-3 for Salem State.
Both teams will await seeding in next week’s upcoming MASCAC Tournament.
WORCESTER, Mass. – After an attempted comeback in the second half, the Worcester State University women’s lacrosse team permitted Salem State University the go-ahead goal with 10:39 left on the clock as the Vikings prevailed the 11-10 win on the Lancers’ senior day.
With the win, Salem State slides into fifth place in the MASCAC with 3-4 league record (5-11 overall). The Lancers slip to sixth place at 2-5 and complete the regular season at 5-12 overall.
Worcester State’s Alexis Vecchiarelli (Agawam, Mass.) and Alaina Martin (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) were the first to score, quickly giving the Lancers a 2-0 advantage. Salem State responded with two of their own from Carolyn Woodin (Arlington, Mass.) and Courtney Smith (Peabody, Mass.), to knot the score at 2-2.
Each team tacked on another pair of goals to put the score at 4-4 before the Vikings scored three consecutive goals, two of which were from Smith, to put them ahead 7-4 with 6:35 to go in the first half. Each team tallied an additional goal in the last six minutes of the half, while Worcester’s Kelly Austin (Brimfield, Mass.) and Salem’s Samantha Barrett (Arlington, Mass.) tallied their first of the game.
Smith led the Vikings in the first half, registering half of Salem’s State’s eight goals. Despite the 8-5 differential, the Lancers outshot the visitors 15-13 in the first stanza.
Salem State added to their lead in the first six minutes of the second half as Kaitlyn Palmer (Verona, N.Y.) notched two goals to put the Vikings ahead by five (10-5).
Following the Vikings’ pair of goals, Worcester State saw a second wind and attempted a comeback as they scored five consecutive goals, including two back-to-back the duo of Sarah Cohan (Lowell, Mass.) and Angelina Sutherland (Tyngsboro, Mass.) to knot the score at 10-10 with 14 minutes to go.
Four minutes later, Palmer tallied, what turned out to be the game-winner, with 10:39 remaining. The last ten minutes of play saw seven Lancer shots, including two off a free position attempt, but they were unable to slip one past Salem’s goaltender, Katie McLear (Paxton, Mass.).
McLear made some crucial stops in the last ten minutes as she earned the win in net, with seven saves throughout the entire 60 minutes. Worcester State’s Krissy Pessa (Walpole, Mass.) was tabbed the loss in a 5-save performance.
Throughout the game, Worcester State held a 30-24 shot advantage, and also outnumbered the Vikings 10-13 in draws and ground balls 29-15.
Both teams wrapped up the regular season and will head to the MASCAC tournament, which will start on Tuesday (Apr. 2). Pairings to be announced tonight
