By Liam Gambon
The Framingham State Rams defeated the Fitchburg State Falcons 13-2 and improved to 10-8 overall on the year and are now 2-0 in the league. Fitchburg State dropped to 6-13 overall and 0-2 in the MASCAC.
Framingham State opened the scoring in the top of the first, with a Ryan Wardwell single to right field to bring home sophomore Jordan Pallazola. Kyle Lippert knocked in Manny Powers with a base hit up the middle to make the game 2-0 early.
The Rams padded on their lead in the top of the second. Matt Brockett led o/ the frame with a walk and moved to second on a single from Aaron Williams. Pallazola ripped a two-run double to left center to score Brockett and Williams, stretching the lead to 4-0. Framingham State added to its lead in the top of the third, as junior Kyle Pileski brought home two runs with a single through the left side. Wardwell, Powers and Kyle Dembrowski added RBIs as well to make the score 11-0.
The Falcons were held scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, an inning in which they put up two runs, making the game 13-2.
Pileski finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Powers added three hits, including a double, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored.
Al Wallach improved to 5-0, as he earned the victory in the opener of the doubleheader. Wallach allowed just two earned runs, on six hits, with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.
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The second game featured a pitcher’s duel as Framingham State’s Kevin Connelly pitched a complete game, two-hit shutout, with three strikeouts, while Tyler Smith was equally as impressive for the Fitchburg State. He allowed just one run, on four hits and three strikeouts.
The two teams went back and forth through the first five innings of play before Framingham State broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth. Joe Ambrosino doubled down the left field line and came around to score the game’s only run on a single to left from Wardwell. The one run was all Connelly would need.
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The Rams traveled to Beverly to face Endicott on Wednesday, Apr. 5.
Framingham jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, o/ of a Pileski single to center field that scored Williams. Dembrowski then singled to center field scoring Powers.
The Rams padded their lead with a five-run seventh inning, to stretch the lead to 7-0. Endicott would score once in the bottom half of the inning, two in the eighth and five in the ninth to win the game 8-7.
Kyle Hodgson started and pitched seven full innings, allowing four hits, one unearned run, while walking a batter and striking out three. Christopher Riga came on in relief in the eighth and allowed one hit and two earned runs, while walking four batters and striking out one. Michael Raymond was the last Framingham pitcher and he threw one inning, allowing five hits and five earned runs, while walking one and striking out one. He took the loss.