Baseball: Paharik's big game leads Lasell to doubleheader split with Dean

Waltham, Mass. – Sophomore Matthew Paharik (West Boylston, Mass.) drove home five runs on the day and added four hits, including two homeruns to lead the Lasell University Lasers baseball team to a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) split with the Dean College Bulldogs, 8-4 and 6-4, Monday night at Stein Diamond.

Game 1: Lasell 8 Dean 4

The Bulldogs got on the board with their first at bats of the day, scoring their first run on an RBI double from senior Ryan Gallagher (Methuen, Mass.) to bring in senior Matty Troy (Norwalk, Conn.) who just beat the throw home. Freshman Ryan Desmond (Long Island, N.Y.) made it two as his single scored Gallagher following his earlier double. Senior Dan Lilja (Lynn, Mass.) brought home the second run of the day as his single through the left side of the infield brought home in junior Brian Dovidio (Ramsey, N.J.) to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead after half an inning of play.

Paharik put the Lasers on the board in the second as he blasted a solo homerun to left field cutting the Bulldogs lead to two after two innings.

Bulldogs answered right away as Lilja brought home his second of the day with an RBI double to the wall in right center field to bring home Desmond and get back the advantage they just had.

Lasers answered again in the bottom half of the third as sophomore Bryan Baumann (Deerfield, Mass.) crushed a two-run homerun to left field that brought home sophomore CJ Mills (Waltham, Mass.). The next pitch sophomore Ross Audet (Swansea, Mass.) put his own ball over the wall with a solo shot to left tying the game at four apiece.

Lasell grabbed their first lead of the game in the fifth inning as senior Matthew Bischof (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) singled to right field to score Mills. Paharik opened the game up with one swing as his second blast of the day brought home Bischof and freshman Vaun Larisa (Lincoln, R.I.) giving the Lasers an 8-4 lead after five innings and both sides stayed scoreless the rest of the way to take an 8-4 win in game one.

Senior Griffin Connelly (Easton, Pa.) got the start for the bulldogs striking out four in five innings of work. Lilja led the offense with two hits and two RBIs and Desmond also added two hits and an RBI. Troy added two hits and Gallagher had one hit and one RBI.

Freshman Alex Noel (Dover, N.H.) got his first collegiate win in relief throwing four innings giving up only one hit and striking out three. Paharik did most of the damage at the plate for the Lasers going two for three with two home runs and knocked in half of Lasell's runs in the game with four RBIs. Audet and Bischof both went two for three with an RBI with Audet's coming via a solo homerun. Baumann drove in two with one two run homerun as he went one for three at the plate.

Game 2: Lasell 4 Dean 6

Paharik kept his bat hot in game two getting the Lasers on the board in the first inning with a single into the left field gap to score Baumann to take an early 1-0 lead after an inning.

Bulldogs answered with their next at bat as senior Thomas Muizulis Jr. (Waltham, Mass.) singled up the middle to bring home freshman Cam Watkins (East Haddam, Conn.) to level the sides at one.

After holding the Lasers scoreless in the second, the Bulldogs took the lead in the third as Watkins cranked a three-run homerun to left field bringing home Desmond and Dovidio to take a three-run lead.

The Lasers clawed one back in the bottom half of the fourth inning when freshman Devon Lapierre (Dover,N.H.) singled home sophomore Peter German (Lawrence, Mass.) who came into pinch run.

Dean answered back immediately as senior Josh Cerretani (Peabody, Mass.) homered to left field bringing home senior Tommy Troy Jr. (Norwalk, Conn.) and push the lead to four after four and four and a half innings.

The Lasers got two more back in the bottom half of the fifth scoring the first run on a wild pitch that brought Paharik home to score. The second run came across off the bat off junior Spencer Murphy (Barrington, N.H.) who reached on an error that brought home Larisa to cut the lead to two. The Lasers, however, could not muster any more offense the rest of the way as both pitching staffs shut down each other as Dean took a 6-4 victory in game two.

Senior Austin Crawley (Chicopee, Mass.) got the win on the mound for the Bulldogs as he allowed four hits and two runs while striking out one. Senior Greg Palais (Valhalla, N.Y.) got the save Dean throwing an inning without giving up a hit and striking out two. Watkins led the offense going a perfect three for three with three RBIs and two runs scored. Cerrentani drove in two runs and had two hits for the Bulldogs and Troy Jr. had two hits in four chances. Muizulis Jr. also drove in a run and added a hit for Dean.

Sophomore Tim Coakley (Acton, Mass.) was solid in a relief appearance for Lasell throwing two and a third innings while giving up two hits and striking out three. Lapierre led the offense going three for four and drove in a run. Paharik also drove in a run and added two hits.

The Lasers will be back in action on Tuesday, April 12, when they play host to Framingham State University in a non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.