Lynn, Mass. – Fisher College took on New England College in a nightcap non-conference double header Wednesday evening. NEC improves to 13-10 on the season while Fisher falls to 4-21 on the season with the losses.
Despite great efforts by the Falcons, NEC grabbed the pair of wins with scores of 6-2 and 13-5. A few costly errors put the Falcons behind, but in game two, the team tried to battle back from behind and was just shy of continuing the game.
Game 1
NEC led of the game with a line drive at third baseman Mikayla Zimmerman (Corona, Calif.). Jayla Vega (Hoboken, N.J.) then helped herself on the mound fanning the next batter, looking. Vega got the number four batter to ground out to the mound to have a quick first inning. The Falcons stepped to the plate in the bottom half of the first, but were held hitless by the Pilgrims.
New England opened up the scoring gates in the top of the second when Shawnie Clark (Holden, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. The next batter lined out to Zimmerman who got her work in in the hot corner. A fielder's choice put two NEC runners on base and then loaded the bases with a single by Kiley Williams (Salem, Utah).
Two runners were plated to take a 2-0 lead on an error by the Falcons. A third runner scored on an RBI single, but the Falcons finished the inning with the Pilgrims leading 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning.
Zimmerman, who went 3-3, led off the inning with a single to right field. Jade Bracero (Hoboken, N.J.) put her bat to good use by hitting a double and scoring Zimmerman to cut the Pilgrims' lead to 3-1. Fisher couldn't move Bracero around to score another run in the inning. The next two-and-a-half innings were quick innings, with both pitchers pitching 1-2-3 innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Fisher chipped away again at the Pilgrims' lead when Zimmerman hit a one-out triple and Christine Briggs (Rumford, Maine) hit an RBI single to bring the score to 3-2.
NEC added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning, and Fisher couldn't bounce back, closing out the game with the 6-2 score after seven complete innings.
Vega picked up the loss in the circle despite Fisher outhitting NEC eight hits to seven, but unable to get runners to score. Briggs was behind Zimmerman offensively going 2-3 in the contest. Three Falcons went 1-3 on the night contributing to their eight hits.
Game 2
NEC jumped to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Fisher error, but Zimmerman struck out a batter and got the last batter of the inning to fly out to left field. Morgan Selmi (Rohnert Park, Calif.) hit a one-out single to put a Falcon runner on base. Zimmerman then reached on an error, putting runners at first and second. Bracero grounded out to third, but not before runners reached second and third with two outs. Briggs grounded out for the third out of the inning, failing to bring a runner across for Fisher; 1-0 Pilgrims heading into the second inning.
Clark led the Pilgrims in the top half of the inning with a walk, but Victoria Park (Lynn, Mass.) threw her out at second on a steal attempt; one out. A ground out advanced a runner to second, but the Falcons now had two outs in the second inning. Three runners were plated, boosting the score to 4-0 heading into the bottom of the second. Fisher's bats were silenced in the second, bringing up the Pilgrims in the third inning. NEC exploded in the third inning, scoring nine runs on four hits and one Fisher error to take a 13-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the third, Camila Da Silva (Everett, Mass.) led off with a double to right center. Vega singled, moving Da Silva to third. An error by NEC shortstop brought Da Silva home and put Vega in scoring position with no one out. Bracero grounded out, but moved runners to second and third with two outs. Briggs singled and scored Vega, but NEC pitcher was able to shut down the threat. The Falcons pulled off an outstanding play in the top half of the fifth inning to get three outs. An NEC single hit to right field was hit hard enough to turn a right field to first base to third base double play to end the inning.
Fisher's bats again were silenced in the fourth, but the defense didn't back down with a 1-2-3 top of the fifth. The Falcons battled in the bottom of the fifth inning, getting back three runs, but couldn't make a large comeback. The Falcons scored three runs to come within eight of the Pilgrims, but it wasn't enough to make a difference. The score was finalized in five innings at 13-5 in the Pilgrims' favor.
Vega and Selmi were 2-3 in the second contest, leading the offense for the Falcons. Four Falcons went 1-3 in the eight-hit game. Zimmerman took the loss on the mound before Vega came in for relief, after a quick injury to Zimmerman. Vega rendered one hit in two and one-third innings in the circle while Zimmerman gave up seven hits and struck out three in her two and two-third innings in the circle.
The Falcons return to action Saturday afternoon as they play host to Pine Manor College. The games are slated for 12:00 p.m. at Breed Field in Lynn, Massachusetts.