Baseball: Lasers split Sunday non-conference twin bill with Suffolk

Boston, Mass. – The Lasell University Lasers baseaball team split a non-conference doubleheader with the Suffolk University Rams, 5-6 and 8-3, Sunday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park. 

Game 1 Lasell 5 Suffolk 6

Lasell jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when freshman Vaun Larisa (Lincoln, R.I.) grounded out to shortstop to bring in sophomore CJ Mills (Waltham, Mass.). The lead was doubled by sophomore Ross Audet (Swansea, Mass.) with his single to right field bringing home sophomore Bryan Baumann (Deerfield, Mass.).

The Rams answered in the bottom half of the inning started with a double from sophomore Joe Ward (Saugus, Mass.) bringing home junior Luke Harder (Liverpool, N.Y.). Ward came across to tie the game when he scored on a balk. Graduate student Michael James Jr. (Norwood, Mass.) gave the Rams the lead on a single to third base to bring home senior Marc Birbiglia (Saint James, N.Y.). Senior Shane Lake (West Roxbury, Mass.) added to the Ram lead with a single through the left side to bring home fellow classmate Blasé Cormier (Wayland, Mass.). With his second at bat of the inning Harder walked with the bases loaded to collect an RBI and bring home James Jr. giving Suffolk a 5-2 lead after one inning.

The Rams scored their second run of the game from a Lasell balk as James Jr. came home to score in the third inning off the balk, giving the Rams six unanswered runs.

Two innings later Baumann answered for the Lasers singling to left field to bring home freshman Alex Noel (Dover, N.H.) cutting the lead to three.

The Lasers scored again in the top of the sixth with a single to left field by sophomore Matthew Paharik (West Boylston, Mass.) bringing home Larisa. Lasell made it a one run game on a single by freshman Jordan Martinez (Naples, Fla.) that allowed Paharik to score on an error by the Rams. This was as close as the Lasers got as the Rams took game one by a score of six to five.

Junior George Breslin (Milton, Mass.) got the start and win for the Rams going six innings giving up six hits and five earned runs while striking out a single batter. Senior Casey Sullivan (Worcester, Mass.) threw an inning in relief striking out one without allowing a hit for the save. Ward led the way with the bats with two hits and one RBI while scoring a run. James Jr., Lake and Harder all knocked in a run as well.

Junior Jason Giangrande (Andover, Mass.) threw five and a third innings in relief giving up only three hits and one unearned run. Baumann led the way for the Laser on offense with two hits, one RBI and scored a run. Larisa, Audet and Paharik all knocked in a run as well for the Lasers.

Game 2 Lasell Suffolk

Just like with game one the Lasers got on the board with their first at bats in game two scoring the first run on a bases loaded walk by Baumann that brought in Audet. The next batter was freshman Griffin Ferreira (Westport, Mass.) who drew a walk as well to bring home Larisa and was followed up by Paharik who walked to bring home a third straight run as senior Matthew Bischof (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) came home to score as Lasell took a 3-0 lead after their first opportunity.

Suffolk answered back in the bottom half of the inning as freshman Harry Painter (Essex, Mass.) singled home Ward to cut the Lasell lead to two after one inning.

The Rams plated another run in the second inning on an RBI single by Cormier to bring home sophomore Johnny Gilbride (Beverly, Mass.).

Lasell responded in the top of the fourth inning with an Audet single to bring home sophomore Ryan Sokolik (Cheshire, Conn.) following a leadoff double by the sophomore to get into scoring position. Ferreira brought in his second run of the day with a walk as he drew the free pass with the bases loaded to bring home Audet and take a 5-2 lead.

The Rams quickly responded to the two runs from the Lasers as Ward hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Gilbride and make it a two-run game.

Martinez added to the Lasers lead in the seventh inning as he singled to center field to bring home freshman Devon Lapierre (Dover, N.H.). Audet continued the inning as he blasted a triple to center field to bring home Martinez and make it a four-run lead for Lasell. Larisa helped his cause on the mound as he singled up the middle to bring home Audet as Lasell got four straight hits with two outs to score three and take a 8-3 victory. 

Senior Steven Rossi (Corning, N.Y.) got the start for the Rams going three innings, giving up three runs while striking out four. Cormier, Ward and Painter all had one hit and drove in a run while Ward scored a run as well. Gilbride came across to score two of the Rams three runs. 

Freshman Brendan Zaleski (Whethersfield, Conn.) got the start and first collegiate win on the mound for Lasell going four and two thirds giving up five hits, while allowing three runs and striking out two. Larisa was strong in relief throwing two innings while only giving up one hit and struck out four. Audet led the offense with three hits in four at bats, two RBIs and he scored three runs. Ferreira drove in two runs and Larisa drove in one run with two hits. Baumann, Paharik, and Martinez all drove in one run in the win for Lasell. 

The Lasers will be back in action on Tuesday, April 5, when they travel to Dudley, Mass. for a single game matchup with Nichols College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.