FITCHBURG, Mass. – Senior
Ray Campbell (Torrington, Conn.) and junior
Ryan Morgado (Brentwood, N.H.) each delivered two-run doubles in the top of the ninth inning to erase a three-run deficit, but Fitchburg State University answered in the bottom half to walk off Plymouth State University, 6-5, in a non-conference contest at Michael P. Riccards Field on Friday afternoon.
The Panthers entered the ninth trailing 4-1 but quickly loaded the bases. Campbell ripped a ground-rule double to left to cut the deficit to one, and Morgado followed with a shot into the right-center gap to give Plymouth State a 5-4 lead.
Fitchburg State put the first two runners on in the bottom of the inning, and a ground ball through the drawn-in infield brought home the winning run.
Plymouth State falls to 3-22, while Fitchburg State improves to 9-23.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 5, Fitchburg State 6
- Plymouth State (3-22)
- Fitchburg State (9-23)
How it Happened:
- Fitchburg State scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the second to grab an early lead.
- Freshman Owen Webber (Bow, N.H.) and senior Andrew Faherty (Phoenix, Ariz.) singled to open the third, but the Falcons worked out of the jam, throwing a runner out at the plate to maintain the lead.
- Junior Cam Manning (North Woodstock, N.H.) walked and Faherty singled in the fifth before Manning scored on an error to make it 3-1.
- The Falcons answered with a double steal in the bottom half to extend the lead to 4-1.
- Faherty walked to spark the ninth-inning rally, followed by a walk from junior Sam Salvi (Southborough, Mass.) and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Campbell and Morgado delivered back-to-back doubles to put the Panthers in front, 5-4.
- Fitchburg State opened the bottom of the ninth with a triple. An error allowed the go-ahead run to reach, and a steal moved him into scoring position before a single through the drawn-in infield ended the game.
By the Numbers:
- Faherty had two hits, walked, and scored a run.
- Campbell doubled, walked, scored once, and drove in two runs.
- Morgado went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.
- Webber added two hits.
- Junior Dillon Below (Derry, N.H.) allowed just four hits and one earned run over five innings.
- Classmate Aaron Kent (Keene, N.H.) was strong in relief, giving up two hits and one earned run in 3.0+ innings.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State travels to Rhode Island College for a key Little East Conference (LEC) doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 25). Game one is set for a noon first pitch.
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