Athletics: Spring 2002 Wrap-up
Softball
The Fitchburg State softball team reached new heights in 2002
under second-year coach Michelle Daley. FSC finished the season
with a 26-12 record and shared the MASCAC regular season crown for
the first time in school history. The Falcons bounced back from
an off weekend at the MASCAC championships to capture the first
ECAC postseason title in the program’s history. Senior pitcher
Michelle Bergeron (Lowell, MA) continued to rewrite
the FSC record book. Her 17-6 record, 1.61 ERA and 150 strikeouts
helped her set career marks in all three categories. Bergeron’s
best performances may have been hurling 16 innings without an earned
run in a spilt with nationally ranked Bridgewater State and picking
up two wins and a save while earning MVP honors at the ECAC New
England Championships.
Lindsay Martins (New Bedford, MA) continued her
assault on the offensive record book in 2002. She bettered her existing
school record for home runs in a season with eight and set the career
mark with 13 after just two seasons with the Falcons. The sophomore
also clubbed the second most total bases (81) and RBIs (40) in school
history. Martins also developed into a top-rate pitcher for the
Green and Gold. She went 9-6 in the circle and registered a no-hitter
in a thrilling 3-2 eight inning win over Massachusetts College.
The Falcons had many other important contributors on their way
to setting the school record for wins in a season. Shortstop
Erica Dusombre (Haverhill, MA) batted .295 with 24 runs
and 24 runs batted in while turning in highlight reel plays on a
regular basis. One could argue that junior Kristen Bourgault
(Fitchburg, MA) was the most important player in 2002.
She hit .340 while splitting time between third base and center
field. Junior Susie Sawyer (Lowell, MA) earned
All-MASCAC honor by batting .319 and slugging eight extra base hits.
Sophomore Lisa Chamberlain (Hudson, MA) proved
to be a menace on the base paths for opposing teams. She parlayed
22 hits (all singles) and two walks into 25 runs scored and 16 stolen
bases. Alyssa Freda (Leominster, MA) quickly became
one of the most feared hitters in the MASCAC. The freshman hit .365
with 25 runs scored and 17 RBIs while setting the school record
for at-bats in a season with 126. The Falcons received a surprise
with the solid performance of freshman catcher Krystal Souza
(New Bedford/Greater New Bedford). Souza, who missed the entire
2001 campaign with a shoulder injury, assumed the everyday catching
duties in late March and responded with stellar defense and a .268
batting average.
Coach Daley is looking forward to many championships in the years
to come and she faces the 2003 season looking to replace Bergeron,
veteran outfield Amanda Rivard (Winchedon/St. Bernard’s)
and valuable utility infielder Nicki Corroto (Billerica,
MA).
Baseball
Baseball fans in search of an impressive offensive display needed
to look no further then FSC’s Elliot Field in 2002. The Falcons
set several offensive records en route to winning their most games
since 1995. Matt Raiche (West Warwick, RI) proved
to be the grand marshal of the hit parade as he concluded his standout
four-year career as FSC’s all-time hit leader. Raiche, who
earned his third All-MASCAC selection in 2002, batted .410 with
31 runs scored and 20 runs batted in. His 50 hits also set a new
school standard for hits in a season.
While Barry Bonds was making history for the San Francisco Giants,
senior infielder Eric Ladyga (Oakdale, CT/Montville)
had his eyes on the FSC single season home run record. Ladyga clubbed
a school best eight home runs to vault him to second on the career
list. He also tied for the club lead with 30 RBI and earned two
critical conference wins on the mound. Junior second baseman Steve
O’Brien (Lowell, MA) continued to score runs for
FSC. His 36 runs were a school record and he will enter 2003 just
one run short of Gary Blanchette’s (1985-88) career mark of
83. Mike Savastano (Plymouth/Coyle-Cassidy)
had a breakout season for the Green and Gold. The outfielder sported
a .736 slugging percentage to go along with 30 runs batted in and
23 runs scored. The sophomore had one of the finest days in FSC
history in a 14-11 win over WPI. Savanstano was 4 for 6 from the
plate with two homers, a triple, a double, seven runs batted in
and earned the save in relief.
Next year’s team looks very promising with most of a young
talented pitching staff returning as well as several key positional
players in addition to O’Brien and Savastano. In June, Pete
Edgert was hired from Division I Fairfield University to replace
Matt Gallant as the team’s manager.
Track and Field
Both the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Teams had
strong performances at the 2002 MASCAC Championship meet.
On the women’s side strong performances were turned in by
sprinter Cortney Kelly (Hanson/Whitman-Hanson) as well as Joan Gillen
(Braintree/Archbishop Williams), Kelly Gorey (South Deerfield/Frontier)
and Jen Kurtinitis (Pittsfield, MA).
The men’s team saw Matt Germain (Haverhill, MA) take the
top prize in 5,000 meter run in the MASCAC and the New England Alliance
meet with a time of 15:53.63. The FSC relays teams also turned in
solid performances as they qualified for the ECAC Championships.
Both track teams also turned in solid performances in the Eric
Loechner Memorial meet at Elliot Field, the Northeastern Invitational
meet held in Boston, and the Rhode Island College Invitational.
2002
MASCAC Meet Results
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