AUBURN, Mass. – Fitchburg State University defeated Lesley University 5-2 in a non-conference tilt on Thursday night in Auburn, Mass. The Falcons improve to 7-5 with the win while the loss drops the Lynx to 6-12 on the year. FSU Junior designated hitter Steven Drury Jr. (Leominster, Mass.) powered the offense for the hosts as he finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and a two-run homer in the winning effort.
The Falcons got on the board early in the bottom of the first inning when Drury Jr. hit a single up the middle that scored Steve McFadden (Merrimac, N.H.) from second, who earlier got into scoring position on a stolen base after reaching on a fielder's choice.
In the third inning Drury Jr. added to the Falcons lead with a blast to center field that cleared the wall for his first home run of the season. Fitchburg state added a run in the fourth and fifth inning respectively to extend their advantage to 5-0.
Lesley would cut the deficit to 5-2 while adding their only runs of the contest in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomore Mike Slaby (Foxboro, Mass.) led the inning off with a single to right field, then came around to score on a double that found the gap in right center by senior David Hersey (Wolfeboro, Mass.). After Hersey moved to third on a ground out to the right side, fellow senior Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) brought Hersey in on a fielder's choice that plated the second run of the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lesley put two runners into scoring position following a pair of hit batters, but FSU closer Javier Lozada (New Bedford, Mass.) got out of the jam unscathed as he struck out the side to preserve the 5-2 victory and record his fourth save of the year.
Andrew Mooney (Framingham, Mass.) threw three innings while getting the start with three strikeouts, while Tyler Smith (New Milford, Conn.) earned the win while going three innings on the hill. Giving up seven hits total, the FSU pitching staff stranded 14 runners on base to hold on for the win.
Senior Rob Parson (Commack, N.Y.) finished 2-for-4 with a steal for the Lynx while classmate John Gosnell (Toronto, Ont.) went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. Hersey had a solid day at the plate, roping a pair of doubles to finish 2-for-5. The senior now has three doubles in the past two games.
Lesley senior Matt O'Donnell (Somerville, Mass.) suffered the loss for the Lynx, yielding four earned runs over six innings with five strikeouts. Freshman Jeff Heinz (Portsmouth, N.H.) provided two innings of scoreless relief for the Lynx.
Lesley will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday, April 7 as they host Eastern Nazarene for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 pm. Fitchburg State will kick off Massachusetts State Collegiate Conference (MASCAC) play tomorrow as they travel to Massachusetts Maritime Academy for a doubleheader. First pitch scheduled for 2:00pm.
Release courtesy Fitchburg State University Sports Information