WENHAM, Mass.—The relief was palatable as Gordon Baseball ended a four-game skid in a big way by handing Fitchburg State a 13-5 loss. The Scots shook off a four-run deficit early in the game and showcased a balanced offense to record their sixth victory of the season.
Gordon improves to 6-13 in 2017, while the Falcons drop their record to 8-15.
Fitchburg jumped out to the lead in the top of the first inning, tagging the Fighting Scots with four runs on four hits. Natahan Littman (Abington, Mass.) led off the game with a single back up the middle before eventually scoring on a single from Sean Maki (Fitchburg, Mass.) into shallow center. After the Falcons tacked on another on a groundout to the right side, sophomore Andrew Mooney (Framingham, Mass.) doubled over the head of the Gordon left fielder to make it a 4-0 game before the Scots could blink.
The Fighting Scots put two runners on base in the bottom of the second inning to set up a big moment for freshman Joey Mack (E. Longmeadow, Mass.). The outfielder hit a scorcher to right center, but the Fitchburg outfield was playing a shallow alignment allowing them to make the running grab.
Gordon's Garrett Poole (Rindge, N.H.) settled down after the wild first inning, keeping the Falcons off the base path in the second through fourth innings.
The home side climbed back into the game in the bottom of the third as the first four Scots earned base on balls to score a run. A pair of sacrifice flies by Chris Leavitt (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) and John Lagerfeldt (Stratford, Conn.) made it a one-run game with two outs in the inning with two runners on base. A throwing error committed by the Fitchburg infield brought two more runs in to score for the Fighting Scots, giving the home team its first lead of the contest.
Gordon inched its lead to two runs in the next inning as errors hounded the visitors once again. However, the Fighting Scots left the bases loaded as a groundball nicked Christian Hodge (Waltham, Mass.) as he approached second base. Gordon led 6-4 after four.
Gordon loaded the bases again in the fifth, but could not capitalize on the chance to add to its lead.
The Falcons took one back in the top of the sixth as first-year Brendan Cuddahy (Leominster, Mass.) launched a 3-2 pitch into the pond past the right-center fence.
Daniel Quint's (Wells, Maine) three-run home run capped off a four-score sixth for the Fighting Scots, giving them firm control at 10-5 entering the final third of the game.
Gordon put three more on the board in the seventh as Hodge hit a ball to left field that one hopped the fence with the bases loaded. Two scored on the play before Lagerfeldt made it a 13-5 game with his second sacrifice fly to center.
Eight spots in the lineup recorded a hit for the Fighting Scots with Quint being the banner player of the day with three hits and three RBI. Hodge and Lagerfeldt combined to go 3-for-6 with four runs batted in as well. Gordon accepted a season-high 10 walks, doubling its previous high in four games.
Poole turned in an excellent game after the rough first inning, giving up only three hits and one run after the opening frame. The rookie pitcher earned his first collegiate win by striking out nine Falcons in seven and two-thirds.
Andrew Dunn (Danvers, Mass.) took the loss for the Falcons in an inning of work. He falls to 1-2 on the year. Littman and Maki paced the Fitchburg offense with two hits each.
Gordon scored in double digits for the first time this spring and rebounded after a 1-4 stretch where they were outscored 48-9. The lone win during that span was a 1-0 shutout against Wentworth.
Fitchburg returns to conference action tomorrow at MCLA, while Gordon looks to keep momentum going with a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader versus Curry on Saturday at J. Tec White Field.