Lasers Take Norwich in Two; Flaherty Blasts First-Ever Home Run

WALTHAM, Mass. –The Lasell College baseball team grabbed two crucial wins against Norwich University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) twinbill on the campus of Brandeis University. The Lasers used a late comeback to take game one 8-7 and never trailed in game two, winning 7-1 in the sweep.

In game one, Lasell jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Junior Wes Hurty (Windsor, Conn.) swung into an RBI double, before senior pitcher Kevin Post (Cromwell, Conn.) sent Hurty home via a sac fly to right. Norwich answered in its half of the frame as sophomore Matt Sirois (Southington, Conn.) reached on an error that scored fellow sophomore LaShawn Thomas (San Antonio, Texas) to make it 2-1. Sophomore Tim Dargan (Bremerton, Wash.) then singled to plate two more runs and give the Cadets the 3-2 lead.

The Lasers tied the game 3-3 in the top of the third, as Hurty sprinted home after a groundout from sophomore Brandon Valentin (Meriden, Conn.). The Cadets answered in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly by junior Billy Whaley (Northfield, Vt.) that plated sophomoreBrandon Pedley (Northfield, Vt.). Sirois came around to score on a throwing error and establish a 5-3 lead. 

Norwich tacked on a run in both the fourth and fifth innings on a Pedley RBI single and an RBI single by junior John Flanagan (West Groton, Mass.) respectively before Lasell responded with three runs in the top of the sixth. Junior Tyler Flaherty (Portland, Maine) took the plate for the Lasers, and cleared the bases from his first career home run. Flaherty continued to dominate the field with his hitting, cranking two of the three runs scored in the sixth from a deep single to left field. Valentin then drove in the go-ahead run to give the Lasers the eventual 8-7 triumph. 

Norwich senior Brandon Place (Concord, N.H.) started on the hill and allowed five runs on seven hits in five innings of work. He allowed two walks. Sophomore Brian Albert took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season after allowing three runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.

Gary Trottier took the win for Lasell after pitching two innings of relief, allowing three hits and striking out two batters. He improves to 1-2.

In game two the Lasers scored two runs in the first, two in the second and three in the third to take an early 7-0 lead.

The Cadets got one run back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore Kyle Dombrowski(Griswold, Conn.) that scored Sirois but that was all the offense they could muster, falling 7-1.

Sophomore Jacob Muetterties (Boxford, Mass.) took the loss after going one and one-third innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits and stuck out one batter and falls to 1-3 on the season.

Freshman pitcher Josh Bahnick (Clinton, Mass.) went six innings and allowed one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts to improve to 2-1.

The Lasers resume GNAC doubleheader action on Sunday, April 14 as they host Rivier University at 3:00 p.m., while the Cadets head to Standish, Maine for a conference twinbill at St. Joseph's (Me.) at 1:00 p.m.

Recap Courtesy of Norwich University Sports Information