WESTFIELD – After Fitchburg State catcher Emily Comtois (Windham, N.H.) hit a three-run home run to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning, Westfield State right fielder Erika Gouin (Hampden, Mass.) hit a walk off sacrifice fly, leading the Owls to a 7-6 victory over the Falcons and a doubleheader sweep over their MASCAC rivals Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Alumni Field.
Gouin’s fly ball to shallow right field scored sophomore third baseman Maddy Atkocaitis (Westfield, Mass.), who tagged from third and beat the throw home with a head first slide. Atkocaitis led off the inning with a triple over the center fielder’s head before Gouin drove her home in the next at bat.
Fitchburg State entered the seventh inning trailing 6-3, but senior Marisa Gemma singled to center and shortstop Maddie Medina reached on an error before Comtois launched the game-tying home run deep over the left field wall.
Westfield State seniors Jamie Ricciardi (left) and Emilie Manna (right) celebrate Senior Day with family at Alumni Field. (Courtesy of Westfield State Sports)
Westfield State led 2-1 in the second game before plating four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Owls scored two runs on a Falcons throwing error when Emma Dunbar was caught in a pickle, then added two more on RBI singles by Sullivan and Gouin for a 6-1 lead.
Fitchburg cut into the Westfield lead in the fifth inning, when second baseman Marissa Gemma (Leominster, Mass.) led off the inning with a triple, then scored on a wild pitch. After a Maddie Medina walk, third baseman Tori Cyrus doubled to right center field to score Medina and cut the Owls lead to 6-3.
Both teams went scoreless in the sixth inning before the seventh inning heroics.
Freshman pitcher Sarah Eugenio (Marshfield, Mass.) improved to 7-6 on the season with the win, allowing four earned runs on nine hits and two walks. Galen Kerr (Concord, Mass.) took the loss for Fitchburg, surrendering seven runs, but only three earned, on 10 hits.
Westfield State took the opening game by a score of 10-2 in five innings. With the sweep, Westfield State improves to 13-20 on the season, 6-4 in the MASCAC. Fitchburg State drops to 15-15 overall, 5-5 in conference play.
In the opener, Westfield scored three runs in the third inning and six runs in the fourth inning to earn the victory.
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the third inning, Sullivan tied up the game with a solo home run before the floodgates opened.
After an Atkocaitis single, Gouin then ripped a liner to left field which was misplayed by the left fielder and went all the way to the wall, scoring Atkocaitis and allowing Gouin to advance to third. Designated player Michaela LeBlanc (Marblehead, Mass.) then grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Gouin to give the Owls a 4-2 lead.
In the fourth inning, Sullivan drove in two more runs, singling to right field with the bases loaded to put Westfield ahead, 6-2. After Atkocaitis reached on error, Gouin doubled to the left field wall to plate two more Owl runs.
LeBlanc followed with a sacrifice fly and senior captain Jamie Ricciardi (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit an RBI single to center field to score Gouin for the final tally.
Gouin was 3-for-3 with a double, 3 RBI, and two runs scored, while Sullivan also drove in three runs on two hits, including her first career home run.
Sullivan (6-8) also earned the win in the circle for the Owls, pitching a complete game while allowing just two runs on four hits.
Falcons right fielder Michelle LeBlanc (Ashburnham, Mass.) had two of Fitchburg’s four hits and drove in a run with an RBI single in the second inning. Freshman Kaylee Sylvestre (7-6) took the loss for the Falcons, allowing 10 runs on 11 hits.
The Owls honored their two senior captains—Ricciardi and second baseman Emilie Manna (Reading, Mass.)— in Senior Day festivities before the games.
Westfield State returns to action on Monday, April 25 when it hosts Smith College in a doubleheader at Alumni Field beginning at 3:30 p.m. – Courtesy of Westfield State Sports
