Vikings Sweep Falcons in Conference Action

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

FITCHBURG, Mass.- Fitchburg State welcomed Salem State University on Saturday afternoon for a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader at Donna Lee Withington Stadium. The Vikings earned an 8-2 victory in the first game of the doubleheader before dominating the second game,11-2, improving to 4-0 in conference play and 7-7 on the season.

Game One

• Fitchburg State's softball began a two-out rally in the first after managing to record three consecutive hits, highlighted by an Isabella Sousa (Charlton, Mass.) single that gave the Falcons their first run of the ballgame. Then, two batters later, Fitchburg found themselves with loaded bases, and Ella Marshall (Gloucester, Mass.) walked in to bring home the second run of the game.
• The Vikings evened the score in the top of the third when Samantha Gaona (Billerica, Mass.) stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-run double to tie the game at two.

• Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.) and Stephanie Grassi (Cambridge, Mass.) spearheaded the Vikings to a three-run sixth inning after DeSantis delivered a double to right center field before Grassi followed suit with a triple.
• An inning later Gaona tripled to center before DeSantis notched her second double of the game to give their team the 8-2 lead which would carry over the home half of the inning to seal their game one victory.

 Game Two

• The Vikings picked up where they left off in game one as an Emily Henning (Grafton, Mass.) double brought home the first two runs of the game before a bomb over the left field fence from DeSantis gave the Vikings the 5-0 lead in the opening inning.
• In the home half of the third the Falcons cut into the Vikings lead when a double brought two runners around to make it a 5-2 game.
• Salem exploded for six-run inning in the fourth, with Isabella Perrotti (Winthrop, Mass.) responsible for two of those runs after she notched a double to right field, to give them the 11-2 tilt.
• The Vikings would hold the Falcons to one hit and no runs over the fourth and fifth inning to give them the 11-2 victory after five innings.

Noteworthy

• Freshman, Samantha Gaona was responsible for three of the Vikings eight game one runs.
• The Vikings put up an impressive offensive performance in game one as several players recorded multiple hits. (Giuliano, Perotti, Gaona, and DeSantis. Among them, Gaona was responsible for three of the eight runs scored by the Vikings.
• DeSantis went 4 for 7 on the day, highlighted by a home run and two doubles, to bring home five runs on the afternoon.
• The Vikings are back in action Tuesday, April 2 when they travel to Boston, Massachusetts for a non-conference matchup with Suffolk University. Game times are scheduled for 4 p.m. and 6 p.m..