Salem, Mass. -- Mike Richardson (Belmont, MA) pitched six and two thirds innings of shutout ball to lift Salem State to a 2-0 win over UMass-Boston on Tuesday afternoon. The Vikings, who are currently ranked fifth in New England, won their eighth straight game and improve to 12-5. The Beacons meanwhile, slip to 9-8.
 
Richardson did not allow a run, and struck out five to earn his third win of the season against just one loss. The Vikings scored all the runs they would need in the first, when Kevin Carens (Northborough, MA) led off with a walk and following a stolen base, scored on a base hit by Richard Fecteau (Newbury, MA). Fecteau, who is riding an 11-game hit streak, has recorded a base hit in16-out-of-17 games for Salem State this year.    
 
Teghan Malionek (Salem, MA) put the Vikings up 2-0 in the fourth with an RBI double that brought home Colton Fontaine (Newburyport, MA), who had also doubled.
 
Beacons' starter Sal Frosceno (Derby, CT) pitched well in the loss, allowing just the two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
 
Bryan Kaufman (Farmingdale, NY) relieved Fronseco in the sixth, and kept Salem State scoreless, pitching solidly in relief while registering five strikeouts and allowing just two hits in three innings of work.  
 
Andrew McLaughlin (Peabody, MA) came on in the seventh for the Vikings, after UMass-Boston loaded the bases with two outs. However, Tylus got Josh Lopez (New Haven, CT) to fly to center to end the threat.
 
McLaughlinearned his first save of the year as he retired the Beacons in order over the final two and a third innings.
 
Fontaine ended the day three-for-three for the Vikings while Fecteau and Malionek collected two hits apiece. Lopez had the only multi-hit game for UMass-Boston as he finished with two singles.
 
Salem State hosts the Plymouth State Panthers tomorrow at 3:30 PM on their home field.  UMass-Boston plays away on Thursday against Babson College.  First pitch is at 3:30 PM.