Merchant Marine takes twinbill from Lasell Baseball

KINGS POINT, N.Y. – The Lasell College baseball team went down to defeat Saturday in a pair of non-conference games at the US Merchant Marine Academy, dropping the first game, 6-5 in eight innings, and falling in the second game, 3-1, at USMMA's Lower Roosevelt Field.

With the pair of victories, Merchant Marine improves to 8-2 on the season, while the Lasers fall to 0-7.

Tied at 5-5 after the scheduled seven innings were complete, the Mariners won the opener when they loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth and sophomore Wyatt Wilson (Chandler, Ariz.) drew a bases-loaded walk. 

Lasell had taken a 4-2 lead with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Senior Dom Mascolo (Waterbury, Conn.) drove in two runs with a double to center field, and one out later, junior Brett Sherron (Howard Beach, N.Y.) slammed a two-run home run to right field.

After the Mariners got one back in the bottom of the fifth, Lasell tacked on another run in the top of the fifth inning as junior David Marsell (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) singled, stole second, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on a single to center by junior Rob Cutone (Tewksbury, Mass.)

USMMA tied the game at 5-5 with two runs in the last of the sixth inning on Wilson's two-run single through the left side. Sophomore Ben Kane (Fountain Valley, Calif.) earned the win, as he pitched the final 4.1 innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits with three K's.

Marsell had two hits for the Lasers. Sophomore Zach Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) started on the mound and worked six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, striking out one. Junior Justin Webb (San Diego, Calif.) gave up one run in one inning of relief and was saddled with the loss (0-2).

Game two was breezing along, as neither team mustered a run through the first 4.5 innings. The Mariners finally got on the board first with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on for the 3-1 victory. 

Lasell scored its only run in the sixth inning when freshman Harrison Silva (Lowell, Mass.) was hit by a pitch in a pinch-hit appearance, then stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.

Sophomore Joe Sullivan (East Sandwich, Mass.) had two hits in the game for the Lasers. Junior Dan Petr (East Haven, Conn.) started on the mound and took the loss (0-2), giving up three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings, striking out four. Freshmen Zak Phillips (West Boylston, Mass.) and Christian Berk (Abington, Mass.) combined for 1.1 innings of hitless relief.

The Lasers are scheduled to play their next 10 games at home, weather and field conditions permitting at Brandeis University, Lasell's home field. The first games are slated for next Saturday, March 24, with a non-conference doubleheader vs. Colby-Sawyer College, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

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