Lasers Earn First Win of Season in Extras over Eastern Nazarene

Written by: Matthew Todd, Sports Information Assistant

Quincy, MA – Lasell College baseball earned its first win of the season in thrilling fashion over the Lions of Eastern Nazarene College Monday at Bradley Field in Quincy, MA. The Lasers were able to force extra innings with a late eighth inning rally. Lasell punched home two more runs in the tenth inning, and held off the Lions in the bottom half of the tenth to lock up its first victory of the year, 3-1.

Eastern Nazarene quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Danny Rodriguez (Bronx, NY) broke open the scoring by smacking a solo home run to left field off of Lasell starting pitcher Billy Uberti (Newton, MA) after working the count to three balls and two strikes.

Rodriguez's first inning home run would be the only blemish of the game for Uberti as he did not allow a run the rest of his outing. Uberti however did not factor in the decision, going six innings while allowing only one run on four hits and striking out two.

Eastern Nazarene pitchers Brandon Wells (Rancho Santa Fe, CA), Jeremy Cook (Hatfield, PA), and Steve Doyle (Weymouth, MA) put together stellar outings for the Lions. The three pitchers combined to throw seven shutout innings while only allowing three hits and recording eight strikeouts.

The Lasers finally evened the game at 1-1 when Conor Cavanagh (Quincy, MA) launched a one out, solo home run on the first pitch he saw from reliever Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, NJ).

Neither the Lions nor the Lasers would be able to manufacture a run in the ninth inning, and the game would need to be decided in extra frames.

In the top half of the tenth inning Lasell was able to tally two runs to give the team its first lead of the game at 3-1. Bobby Stachura (Middletown, CT) slapped an RBI double to right center field, knocking home Joshua Sullivan (Rockland, MA) who started the inning by reaching on an error. On the next pitch of the game Cavanagh struck an RBI double of his own to right center field scoring Stachura. Berroa retired the next two Laser hitters he faced, giving the Lions an opportunity to answer in the bottom of the tenth.

However, Andrew Porter (Middleboro, MA) came on in relief for the Lasers and was able to retire all three hitters he faced, recording his first save of the season in a 3-1 victory.

Dan O'Boyle (Bayport, NY), (1-0), earned the win for Lasell, going three shutout innings allowing four hits and striking out three.

Berroa (0-3) recorded the loss allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits in three innings of work.

Cavanagh contributed with an exceptional performance at the plate for Lasell registering three hits in a 3-for-5 day including a double, his first home run of the season, and two RBI.

The win improves the Lasers record to 1-10 on the year, while the loss drops the Lions to a 1-10 slate.

Lasell returns to action on Wednesday for its home opener in a 7 p.m. start against Newbury College at Stein Diamond on the campus of Brandeis University.