Lasell Baseball Kicks Off 2011 Season with a Win

BROOKLYN, NY- In the first game of the 2011 Lasell College baseball season, the Lasers produced a 6-4 victory over NYU Polytechnic at Flord Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York.  

The Lasers battled harsh weather and brutal winds in the season opener which marks the first time Lasell has won a season debut since the squad became an NCAA program, in 2009.  Starting pitcher Joshua Sullivan (Rockland, MA) earned the win, retiring 10 batters on strikes over the course of the first six innings, while yielding just three hits and three runs. 

Through the first two innings, Sullivan sat down five-of-six batters on strikes and assisted on a ground-out to close out the pair of scoreless innings.  NYU produced a 3-0 lead in the third inning on two hits and an error, however, Lasell's bats came alive in the 5th when a Sullivan double and a Connor Cavanagh (Quincy, MA) RBI single put Lasell on the board.  In the 6th, a Jacob Salkovitz (Brockton, MA) base hit turned into a run when Corey Michel (Rochester, NH) sent him home on a single. Michel then scored the tying run later in the frame. 

Lasell moved ahead in the top of the 7th when a Cavanaugh double knocked Sullivan and Billy Uberti (Newton, MA) around the bags.  Cavanagh followed by reaching the plate on a passed ball to give Lasell a 6-3 edge. 

Freshman right hander Eric Howard (Newton, MA) relieved Sullivan on the mound in the bottom of the seventh.  Howard struck out five batters and allowed just two hits and one run in his initial collegiate appearance.  Junior pitcher Matt Pitts (Stoneham, MA) came in to close the game for Lasell in the 9th, sealing the non-conference victory and picking up the save. 

Lasell (1-0) heads to Fort Myers, Florida on Saturday, March 12th for a week long Spring Training session in the Sunshine State.  The Lasers will play 10 non-league contests during their stay, beginning with a 7:00 p.m. game against Kenyon College on the 12th.