BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- The Buccaneers hosted the Fitchburg State Falcons on Saturday after beating them in their own nest on Friday, 14-3. The Falcons took game one of the conference doubleheader by a final of 8-7. The Bucs came back in game two to win the series, 2-1, over Fitchburg with a 4-2 victory.

Game One

The Basics

Final: Falcons 8, Buccaneers 7

Records: Fitchburg (12-11, 3-5)

               Maritime (13-12, 3-5)

On The Mound

Fitchburg: Lowell Pare (W, 5-1): 1.2 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 3 K

Maritime: Nolan Kennedy (L, 1-1): 2 IP | 2 H | 2 R | 2 ER | 0 BB | 1 K

At The Plate

Maritime

• Zach Sylvia led the way for the Bucs offensively with three hits and two RBI.
• Aidan Henderson added two hits of his own.
• Frank Aten, Brett Velzis, AJ Pietrafesa, Jake Houston, and Michael Logiudice all had one hit.
• Sylvia, Tropea and Logiudice each hit a double.
• Tropea drove in two runs, Pietrafesa, Henderson and Chris Perito each drove in one run.
• Velzis scored twice, Aten, Tropes, Michael Estrada, Henderson, and Logiudice all scored once.

Fitchburg

• Vincent Eramo had three hits in the game for the Falcons including two home runs and a double. He led the way with five RBI and scored twice.
• Matthew Kelly had two hits in the game. Liam Goldstein, Jacob Hurrell, and Zachary Malek all had one hit.
• Goldstein had a double to his credit and Hurrell hit a home run.
• Kelly and Goldstein each scored twice. Adam Koza and Hurrell each scored once.

How It Happened

Fitchburg jumped out to a big early lead scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. The first run came in on Goldstein's double followed by two runs scoring on Eramo's first home run and then two more coming in to score on Hurrell's long ball. The Falcons added a run in the top of the second on Eramo's second extra base hit of the day in the form of a double to left center.

The Buccaneers got on the board in a big way in the bottom of the third scoring four runs. Tropea doubled to score Velzis and Aten, Pietrafesa hit a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Tropea, and Perito was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to get the Bucs within two runs, 6-4, after three innings.

Maritime scored again in the bottom of the fifth with two runs coming in to tie the game at 6-6 on a Sylvia double to left center scoring Logiudice and Henderson. 

The bucs took a lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Henderson infield single that scored Velzis. The Bucs led 7-6 after six.

In the seventh, the Buccaneers couldn't hold on as Eramo struck again with his second two-run homer of the game to make the score 8-7. The Falcons pitching held strong in the bottom of the seventh and Fitchburg won the close 8-7 affair to tie the conference series at one game apiece.

Game Two

The Basics

Final: Buccaneers 4, Falcons 2

Records: Maritime (14-12, 4-5)

               Fitchburg (12-12, 3-6)

On The Mound

Maritime: Brodey Tinkham (W, 3-3): 6.5 IP | 8 H | 2 R | 2 ER | 1 BB | 5 K

                Brenden Baiardi (Sv, 4): 01 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 0 K

Fitchburg: Adam Wholley (L, 2-2): 5 IP | 5 H | 4 R | 2 ER | 1 BB | 4 K

At The Plate

Maritime

• Frank Aten hit his second home run of the season in the win, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
• Brett Velzis, AJ Pietrafesa, Aidan Henderson, and Michael Logiudice all had one hit. Henderson's hit was a double.
• Henderson was credited with an RBI in the victory.
• Pietrafesa, Logiudice, and Chris Perito each scored once.
• Pietrafesa was credited with a stolen base.

Fitchburg

• Matthew Kelly had two hits for the Falcons, six other hitters had one hit each.
• Eramo drove in the two runs in the loss.
• Kelly and Maxwell Kelly scored the two runs. 
• Matt Kelly and Eramo each hit a double.

How It Happened

The Buccaneers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Aten's home run over the left field fence. 

In the top of the third, Eramo doubled to bring in two runs and give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Perito and Logiudice both scored on a passed ball to put the Bucs back on top 3-2 after three. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Maritime scored one more on a Henderson double that plated Pietrafesa to make it 4-2 after four.

Tinkham and Biairdi shut down the Falcons the rest of the way to pick up the 4-2 victory and the MASCAC series win over the Falcons.

What's Next

Maritime travels to Bridgewater State on Patriot's Day, Monday, April 17th, for a conference matchup with a 1pm start.