Bridgewater, MA --- Fitchburg State junior Shannon Fitzgerald (Blackstone, MA) drove in sophomore Colleen Flaherty (Stoughton, MA) on a squeeze bunt in the top of the seventh to help lift the fourth-seeded Falcons to a 1-0 triumph over #3 Worcester State in the first elimination game of the MASCAC Tournament Softball Semifinals this morning at Bridgewater State's Alumni Field.

With the win the Falcons improve to 20-21 and will play the loser of top-seeded Bridgewater State and #2 MCLA match-up at 1 PM. The Lancers fall to 23-16 and await word of a possible ECAC Division III New England Softball Tournament berth on selection Monday.

Through the first six innings of play, both teams had a frustrating time at the plate as they combined to strand nine runners on base.

WSU's best chance to score came in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Hayley Terry (N. Dighton, MA) reached on a lead-off infield single and after a strikeout, sophomore Hillary Hart (Clinton, MA) followed with a solo base-knock to left.

But junior Kerry Alcott (Groton, MA) set down her next two batters to end the frame.

Fitchburg State also left runners in scoring position in the top of the fourth and sixth innings.Junior Ashley Forgues (Fitchburg, MA) started the rally in the fourth with a single and moved to second on her MASCAC-best 23rd swipe of the season.

However, senior Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) induced a pair of pop-outs and fanned a batter to finish off the frame.

In the top of the seventh, Flaherty began the inning by reaching on an errant throw by the shortstop. Flaherty was then sacrificed and got to third on an infield single. With runners on the corners, Fitzgerald laid down a bunt to the pitcher, but Everson's throw to the plate was not in time.

After the run crossed the plate, Everson retired the side to give her team a chance in the last of the seventh. But Alcott tossed a perfect stanza to end the contest.

Alcott (12-10) tossed a four-hitter with five strikeouts and she issued one free pass.
Everson (9-7) was the tough luck loser in her 15th complete game in as many starts. She yielded the lone unearned run of the contest and fanned eight.

Forgues was the lone multi-hitter for either side as she was 2-for-3. Both squads were even in hits for the game (4-4).