WESTON, Mass. – After a 13 day layoff, the Regis College softball team returned to action against Fitchburg State Thursday evening and did not disappoint. The Pride split their home opener with the visiting Falcons by shutting out the hosts 1-0 in game one, but fell 6-3 in the nightcap. With the twinbill split, both squads remain at .500 (Regis 5-5, Fitchburg State 7-7).
Game One: Regis 1, Fitchburg State 0
In a pitcher's duel that saw only eight combined hits, Pride flamethrower Katie Cuozzo (Lynn, Mass.) stood tall. The senior fired a complete game shutout, scattering five hits, issuing only one free pass and striking out six batters. Galen Kerr (Concord, Mass.) was the tough luck loser as she matched her counterpart pitch for pitch with six punch outs, one walk and only allowing three hits. Cuozzo moved to 3-1 on the campaign and decreased her ERA to 1.81, the lowest mark in the New England Collegiate Conference.
The only run in the contest came in the bottom half of the third inning. With one out and a runner on first base, senior captain Kirbie Garvey (Littleton, Mass.) stepped to the plate and reached first on a fielder's choice as the runner was tagged out at second. Allison Caloggero (Medford, Mass.) responded with an infield single to second base that advanced Garvey a base. The next batter Alyssa McKinnon (Rowley, Mass.) ripped a hard hit ball to second base that was booted by Marissa Gemma (Leominster, Mass.) and headed into right field.
Since there were two outs Garvey was running on contact and easily scored on the Falcon mishap. Callogero advanced to third base. Regis tried to add another run, but Amanda Navarro (Stoneham, Mass.) grounded out to first.
The lone run was all Cuozzo needed as she spread out four singles over the next four innings which gave the Crimson and Gold the first game of the doubleheader.
Game Two: Fitchburg State 6, Regis 3
The offense came alive in the closing contest as both squads totaled nine runs and racked up 25 hits. Fitchburg State scored two runs in the top of the first off Pride hurler Jeszy McGuire (Brimfield, Mass.) as a Emily Comtois (Windham, N.H.) double down the left field line provided the second run of the frame. Regis got a run in the bottom half of the inning as Alyssa McKinnon roped an opposite field single that scored Kirbie Garvey from second base.
Fitchburg State got to McGuire in the top of the second as they recorded four hits and scored three runs off the freshman right hander. Maddie Medina (Pelham, N.H.) got the action started with a single to center field and immediately stole second base on the next pitch to home. Kaylee Sylvestre (Central Falls, R.I.) followed with an infield single and Marissa Gemma attempted a sacrifice bunt, but beat the throw to first which loaded the bases with no outs.
Next up was Melissa DiPhilippo (Norfolk, Mass.) who took one for the team as she was hit on her wrist which scored Medina from third base. Hayley McCarthy (Lawrence, Mass.) stepped into the batter's box with the bases juiced and deposited a one bagger to left field that brought Sylvestre home and made the score 4-1. Katie Gildea (Bedford, Mass.) stayed patient at the plate and worked the count full to 3-2 before she was issued a free pass to first that brought Gemma home to make it a 5-1 Falcon advantage.
McGuire got Emily Comtois to sharply line out to center field before she was replaced on the mound by Marissa Magarian (Goffstown, N.H.). Magarian inherited three runners on base and made quick work as she induced a fielder's choice that saw DiPhilippo forced out at home and she got senior outfielder Brianna Uga (Everett, Mass.) to strike out swinging which ended the scoring threat.
The Falcons added insurance in the top of the fourth as Tori Cyrus (Everett, Mass.) doubled to center field which scored Comtois who reached via a throwing error.
Regis chipped into the lead with a Caloggero ground out that plated Garvey in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 6-2. The Crimson and Gold also threatened in the bottom of the sixth as they loaded the bases, but could only get one run with the top of their order batting as Brianna Napoleone (Medford, Mass.) smoked a single to right field that scored Rachel Tortora (Malden, Mass.).
Falcon hurler Kaylee Sylvestre ended the Regis threat as she struck out Garvey and got Caloggero to fly out to center field.
Sylvestre moved to 5-2 on the year as she struck out 13 Pride batters. McGuire took the loss while dropping to 0-3 and Magarian threw 5.2 innings allowing only an unearned run and striking out three batters.
Tori Cyrus went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Fitchburg State while Brianna Napoleone was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk for the Pride.
Regis returns to the diamond on Saturday when they travel to Wheelock for a twinbill at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.