Baseball: Lasers fall to Monks on Senior Day, look forward to GNAC playoffs

Waltham, Mass. –  The Lasell University Lasers baseball team fell in to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe the Saint Joseph's College Monks, 3-1 and 3-1, on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Stein Diamond.

Game 1 Lasell 1 Saint Joseph's 3

The Monks took an early lead with their first at bats starting with an RBI single by graduate student Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.) that brought home freshman Cliff Ward (Cohasset, Mass.). The next batter was graduate student Ben Gavel (Rochester, N.H.) who hit a single to center field to bring home senior Ronan Chisholm (North Chatham, Mass.). A third run came across as junior Zach Miles (Concord, N.H.) walked with the bases loaded to bring home Healey and take an early three-run lead.

The Lasers responded in the bottom half of the inning as senior Matthew Bischof (Sleepy Hallow, N.Y.) hit an RBI groundout to first base that brought home sophomore Bryan Baumann (Deerfield, Mass.) from third.

The sides stayed scoreless after the first inning as both pitching staffs shut the opposing offense down for the Monks to take game one 3-1.

Freshman Jason Johnson (Thomaston, Conn.) got the start and win for the Monks going three innings while giving up four hits and one earned run while striking out three. Sophomore Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) got the save throwing the final frame without allowing a run or hit. Healey and Gavel both had two hits and an RBI and Chisholm also had two hits for the Monks. Miles drove in the other run in the win.

Sophomore Darek Lallo (Warwick, R.I.) got the start for the Lasers allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out six. Freshman Matthew Fletcher (Wethersfield, Conn.) was excellent in relief only giving up three hits in three innings of work. Bischof drove in the only run for Lasell and Baumann had two hits on the day. Freshman Vaun Larisa (Lincoln, R.I.) also had two hits as well for Lasell.

Game 2: Lasell 1 Saint Joseph's 3

The Monks started game two off like game one as Healey hit a solo shot to center field take an early lead after the first inning.

Saint Joseph's added a second in the second inning as sophomore Matt Thibault (Nashua, N.H.) scored on a wild pitch.

The Lasers got on the board in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly to left field by sophomore Matthew Paharik (West Boylston, Mass.) that brought home sophomore Ross Audet (Swansea, Mass.) from third base.

The Monks added a third in the top of the seventh as sophomore Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Miles from third base.

The Monks shut the Lasers down in the bottom half of the inning to take game two by the same score as game one 3-1.

Senior Matthew Burgeron (Salem, N.H.) got the start and win for the Monks going three innings while allowing one run. Senior Matt Poff (Pelham, N.H.) got the long save going three and two thirds' innings only allowing one hit and striking out five. Miles had two hits and Healey had one hit and one RBI. Gundlah also drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Freshman Alex Noel (Dover, N.H.) got the start for the Lasers going five innings while allowing two runs on four hits and he struck out four. Larisa threw two innings in relief and allowed one run on one hit and struck out four. Paharik drove in the only run for the Lasers on a sacrifice fly and Audet went two for three at the plate.

The Lasers will be back in action on Wednesday, May 3, when they host the GNAC quarterfinal. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Stein Diamond.