BB: Lasell takes season opener over Fisher as Coach Uberti posts first career win

LYNN, Mass. – Junior lead-off hitter Wyatt Sihvonen (Lebanon, Conn.) hit a double and a triple and knocked in two runs Thursday afternoon as Lasell University defeated Fisher College, 7-6, in the Lasers' season opener at Fraser Field.

The outcome marked the first career coaching victory for first-year Laser head coach Billy Uberti.

Sihvonen was one of five Lasers who collected two hits in the contest. Juniors Justin Banks (Corona, Calif.) and Brian Cipolla (Cranston, R.I.) and senior Joe Sullivan (Sandwich, Mass.) all went 2-for-5 in the 2-3-4 spots in the line-up. Junior Sean Doris (Lincoln, R.I.) collected two hits and two RBI from the eight-hole and also recorded his first save of the season in relief.

The Lasers plated three runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth to take control of the game before holding off a Falcon comeback. Sihvonen had a two-run double to highlight the fourth-inning rally, followed by a run-scoring single by Cipolla. Doris had a two-run single to spark the fifth-inning outburst, followed by an RBI single by Banks. Sullivan knocked in the eventual game-winning run in the eighth inning with a single to right.

Senior Zach Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) earned the win for Lasell as the right-hander tossed 5.2 innings surrendering four runs (all earned) on six hits while walking one and striking out three. Classmate Chris O'Connor (Duxbury, Mass.) bridged the gap to Doris with 1.1 inning of work, allowing one run on three hits. Doris then had the two-inning save while allowing one run on two hits and striking out one.

The Lasers will be back in action on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, facing Framingham State University on Saturday at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass., before traveling to Trinity College in Connecticut on Sunday.

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