Lasers Lose a Pair of Games to Wildcats on GNAC Opening Day

PROVIDENCE, RI-  Lasell College lost a pair of games against Johnson & Wales University on opening day of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball action this Saturday, 13-12 in game one and 9-7 in game two.

The Wildcats went ahead 10-3 through the top of the sixth to maintain a significant distance from the Lasers, but Lasell scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth frame to even the score.  The Wildcats edged Lasell 3-2 in the final inning of play to earn the first GNAC win of the season.

Starting hurler Eric Howard (Newton, MA) worked through five innings, striking out three and allowing six earned runs on eight hits.  Randy Weiner (Randolph, MA) and Matt Pitts (Stoneham, MA) each pitched one inning of relief for Lasell.

Lasell's third baseman Bobby Stachura (Middletown, CT) went 4-for-5 in the game with one double, two runs and two RBI.  Joshua Sullivan (Rockland, MA) and Carlton Lentini (Wilmington, MA) each added three hits on four at-bats.  Lentini scored two runs and batted in three with one double and a home run while Sullivan scored twice and plated one run with one double. 

Conor Cavanagh (Quincy, MA) added two RBI on one two-bag hit and Matt Mahoney (Rockland, MA) also knocked a double, and scored twice.  Andrew Pompeo (Hingham, MA) knocked one hit, earned one RBI and scored a run and Mike Mahoney (Rockland, MA) also produced an RBI in the contest. 

In the second game of the afternoon, JWU scored four times in the first and three times in the second while Lasell produced just three runs to fall behind 7-3 through two.  Despite a four-run fourth inning, the Lasers could not top the Wildcats who plated two more runs to sweep the doubleheader. 

Sullivan took the loss in game two after striking out seven and allowing just four earned runs.  

Stachura continued to have a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double, a run, and an RBI. Stachura finished the day with seven hits, two doubles, three runs, and three RBI. Cavanagh, Jacob Salkovitz (Brockton, MA), and Christopher Pittman (Brockton, MA) had two hits each, while driving in a run each.  Cavanagh and Salkovitz also scored one apiece for the Lasers. 

Matt Mahoney's hit completed the 10-hit game for Lasell, while also adding one run, one walk, and an RBI. 

The Lasers doubleheader with St. Joseph's College of Maine that was scheduled for Sunday has been postponed indefinitely, making their home game against New England College their next scheduled contest.  The Lasers and the Nor'Easters will face off at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 7th on Stein Diamond at Brandeis University.