BSB: Callahan Joins 100 Hits Club; Lasers Split Doubleheader at Norwich
Northfield, VT – The Lasell University baseball team split a doubleheader with the Norwich University Cadets on Sunday afternoon. Game one was a conference matchup as Lasell defeated the Cadets 17-2 while game two was a non-conference game that had the Cadets on top, 11-4. The split moves Lasell's record to 19-10 overall and 8-2 in conference while Norwich is now 6-18 overall and 4-5 in conference.
Game One:
Things took some time to get going in game one as both starters, Lasell's Adam Marsh, and Norwich's Nick Beavin, were dealing early on holding each offense scoreless through the first three innings of play. That would change in the top of the fourth as the Lasers Brad Edwards led off with a single and a wild pitch would advance him to second. Jonah Nielsen stepped to the plate and reached on an error by the third baseman, scoring the first run of the ballgame. After a hit by pitch and a sacrifice bunt got runners to second and third with one out, a wild pitch would score another Laser run and give them a 2-0 advantage.
The Lasers got two more runs in the fifth on a Tim Callahan home run to right field, one of his four hits in game one. His first hit of the day, a bunt single in the first inning, put Callahan into the record books, making him the sixteenth player in Lasell baseball history to tally 100 career hits.
The Cadets battled back in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the Lasell lead in half on a RBI single and an error to score two runs in the inning. The Lasers were able to get another run in the sixth as junior Jared Whitby blasted a solo homerun, and they really broke it open in the seventh putting up a six spot on five hits. Bryan Baumann singled up the middle bringing in two in the inning, Chris Bulk doubled to bring in one run, Callahan collected another RBI on an infield single and a walk with the bases loaded brought in another Laser run.
Lasell put up six more in the eighth as Baumann got things going with a solo homerun to left center, his second of the season. A double off the bat of Whitby and a walk put runners on the corners with two out in the inning for Callahan to single in his fourth run of the game. Connor Freitas singled in another run right after him, and an Edwards double off the left field fence cleared the bases and gave Lasell a 17-2 lead.
Owen Caldwell came in for Lasell to shut the door and he did just that, striking out two Cadets and clinching the Laser victory.
Adam Marsh (4-0) earned the win for the Lasers, tossing seven innings, allowing just two runs (none earned) on five hits while walking four and striking out six.
Offensively, Callahan led the way collecting four hits and driving in four runs. Freitas also had four hits and drove in two runs, Edwards and Baumann each had two hits and three RBIs. Whitby collected two hits and an RBI and Bulk doubled and drove in a run.
Game Two:
The script would flip in game two of this doubleheader as the Norwich bats got hot. Lasell got out to an early 1-0 lead after Scott Lyon singled through the right side, scoring Callahan. Norwich would take the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a walk and a two-run single off the bat of Michael Sebasteanski. They would add to their lead in the second inning when Greffen Franus blasted a grand slam, putting the Cadets up 7-1.
The Lasers inched back in the third with a solo bomb from Thomas Muizulis. Muizulis would hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth to score Tyler DiNezza and make it 7-3 Norwich. The Cadets wouldn't let up, scoring four more runs in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double and another two-run single from Sebasteanski. A single from DiNezza in the fifth gave Lasell another run, but rain would pick up and the game would be called after five innings, giving Norwich the 11-4 victory.
Robert Bedell (0-1) received the loss for Lasell, throwing an inning and allowing three runs on two hits while striking out two and walking two.
Offensively, Muizulis drove in two runs and homered, DiNezza singled twice and drove in a run and Lyon also singled and drove in a run.
Up Next: The Lasers travel to Babson on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup with the Beavers. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 pm.