DeSantis Powers Salem State to Split With Fitchburg State

Fitchburg, Mass. -- Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.) went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and seven RBI to lead Salem State to a 14-6 game one victory over Fitchburg State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) double header on Sunday afternoon from the Donna-Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field. The Falcons bounced back to take game two as Sarah Cahill (Mansfield, Mass.) earned the win, yielding three runs (two earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts in the complete game effort. The Vikings are now 5-15 and earned their first conference win (1-3). Fitchburg State dips below.500 (10-11) and goes to 2-2 in the MASCAC.

Game One

DeSantis got Salem State going early as the Vikings took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. DeSantis, who tied Jenn Toussaint (2015) and Cara Crowley (2014) for most RBI in a game since 2006, laced a three-run double to left field before classmate Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.Y.) followed with a run scoring double to right field. 

The Vikings upped their advantage in the top of the second with junior Rebecca Walker (Lynn, Mass.) connecting on a single up the middle to plate senior Sydney Chiassson (Hudson, Mass.), while DeSanits added an RBI single to make the score 6-0

Fitchburg State trimmed the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Dana Cisowski (Torrington, Conn.) doubled to left field to bring in senior Lundyn Forcier (Woonsocket, R.I.), while freshman Julia Gauvin (Granby, Mass.) notched a two-run single to center field that scored classmate Ella Marshall (Gloucester, Mass.) and junior Molly Grass (Rockland, Mass.).

The visitors upped the lead to 14-4 in the top of the sixth with DeSantis launching a three-run home run to left and senior Hannah Magee (Salem, Mass.) registering a two-run single to right center. The Green and Gold answered in their half of the sixth as senior Audrey Johnson (Fitchburg, Mass.) notched a sacrifice fly and newcomer Isabella Sousa (Charlton, Mass.) driving in Gauvin with an RBI ground out, resulting in the 14-6, game one final.

Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.) collected the win for Salem State, giving up six runs (4 earned) on 13 hits with two strikeouts. Jeffers and Walker each had three hits, three runs and an RBI for Salem State. Sophomore Mary Kate Moreau (Berkley, Mass.) allowed eight runs (four earned) on eight hits with two K's in four innings of work for Fitchburg State in the loss.

Game Two

In game two, Fitchburg State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with Grass blasting a solo shot over the left field fence for the 1-0 edge. Salem State knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the second as Magee reached on a fielder's choice that scored junior Isabella Perotti (Winthrop, Mass.).

The Falcons regained the lead in the bottom half of the second stanza when Cisowski singled to center left field to bring home Forcier before Marshall laced a two-run single through the left side that plated Cisowski and freshman Kiara Bigeau (Clinton, Mass.) to make the score 4-1.

The Green and Gold upped its advantage in the bottom of the third on RBI singles off the bat of Forcier and junior Cahill for the 6-2 margin. Fitchburg State would secure the victory in the bottom of the fifth when Grass connected on an RBI double to right, while Marshall followed with a run scoring triple to right center resulting in the 8-3, game two final. 

For Salem State, freshman Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.) finished 2-of-4 with a double and one RBI. Senior Grace Hogan (Blackstone, Mass.) took the loss for the Vikings, allowing six runs on 12 hits over three innings of work.