Salem State sweeps FSU in conference title series
May hits pair of homers in second game
The Fitchburg State baseball team was unable to quiet the bats of Salem State Friday afternoon, with the Vikings sweeping the host Falcons in the MASCAC Championship series at Riccards Field.
Salem State (13-8) won game one 10- 6 before closing out the best-of-three series 10-5 in the second contest to earn an NCAA Division 3 tournament berth.
Fitchburg State, the MASCAC regular season champion, sees its 2021 campaign close at 11-12.
Zachary May and Matthew Pingitore notched RBIs to give the FSU a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning of the opening contest, but the Vikings responded with four runs in the sixth.
Tim Catalano plated a pair of runs for the guests in the frame, while Jake Boucher and Shawn Rebello each drove in single runs as the Vikings went ahead, 5-2.
After Jaime Velez notched an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Salem lead to 5-3, the visitors put up three runs in the seventh and a pair in the eighth to regain some breathing room.
Traverse Briana belted a three-run homer in the seventh and Brahaim Ortega and Boucher each plated runs in the eighth as Salem State took a 10-4 lead to the final inning.
Pingitore pushed in a pair of runs in the ninth on a Salem State error, but the Vikings closed things out to take a 1- 0 series lead.
The guests took care of business in the nightcap, ensuring there would be no third game on Saturday afternoon.
Cameron Donahue pulled the Falcons even in the fifth with a two-run single to tie things at 4, but the Vikings again answered immediately with three runs in the sixth. Christian Burt, Boucher and Catalano each drove in runs to put the guests up 7- 4.
Jomar Moreta drove in one in the seventh and two in the eighth for Salem State, ballooning the lead to 10-4.
Fitchburg State managed to get one run back in the ninth, as May blasted his second home run of the game to cut it to 10-5, but the Falcons couldn’t push across any more runs and Salem State claimed the tournament title.
May’s first longball of the second contest came in the third inning, an opposite field blast that cleared the fence in left and cut Salem State’s lead to 4-2.