BB: Lasell splits with Colby-Sawyer in GNAC opener

WALTHAM, Mass. – Each team had a top-notch pitching performance Monday afternoon as Lasell College and Colby-Sawyer College split the first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader of the season at Brandeis University's Stein Diamond; the host Lasers took the opener, 5-2, and the Chargers came back to take the nightcap, 4-0.

Junior Zach Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) struck out 10 batters to lead the Lasers in the opener, improving his record to 3-1. Junior Tim Unczur (Danvers, Mass.) threw his second complete-game shutout of the season for Colby-Sawyer in the nightcap, striking out seven and allowing just two hits.

The Lasers improve to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in the GNAC, while the Chargers, in their first season in the conference, fall to 2-11 overall and 0-2 in the GNAC.

Lasell is right back in action Tuesday with a non-conference game at Stein Diamond against Fitchburg State University, beginning at 5 p.m. The Chargers will travel to Pine Manor on Thursday for a single game with the Gators.

Game 1: Lasell 5, Colby-Sawyer 2

The home team got on the board in the bottom of the first with an RBI groundout by senior David Marsell (Baldwinsville, N.Y.). Colby-Sawyer tied the game in the top of the second on an AJ Cavossa groundout.

The Lasers retook the lead in the bottom of the second when senior Rob Cutone (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit a sac fly to left that scored sophomore Harrison Silva (Lowell, Mass.). 

In the fifth, Lasell plated three runs to take a 5-1 lead. Senior Evan Michalek (Berlin, Conn.), Marsell, and senior Brett Sherron (Howard Beach, N.Y.) each had an RBI in the inning. The Chargers got one back in the sixth on a Brendan Barrett groundout, but that would be the final run of the game as Lasell won 5-2. 

Michalek and Sihvonen had two hits apiece for the Lasers. Danny McCrystal had both of the Chargers' hits. 

Handzel gave up one earned run on two hits to earn the complete-game victory for Lasell. Ryan Glendye went the distance by suffered the loss for the Chargers, allowing just three earned runs on six hits and struck out five.

Game 2: Colby-Sawyer 4, Lasell 0

The Chargers got off to a hot start in their first at-bat and scored three times with the help of two Lasell errors. Charlie Danaher knocked in a pair with a single to right and later came around on a Kristian Viljanen RBI single to center. 

Unczur helped his own cause in the top of the seventh with an RBI single that scored Austin Butler to put Colby-Sawyer on top 4-0. 

Lasell managed just two hits, a third-inning single by junior Joe Sullivan (East Sandwich, Mass.) and a fourth-inning single by freshman Matt Bischof (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.).

Senior Dan Petr (East Haven, Conn.) pitched six innings of relief for Lasell and gave up one run and struck out nine. Marsell suffered the loss with three runs (one earned) in an inning of work. 

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