Lasers Fall Twice on Opening Day in Florida

FORT MYERS, FL-- The Lasell College softball team dropped both of their opening day games on Sunday at the Cape Coral Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida. The Lasers first faced Fredonia State, falling 11-5, and then suffered their second loss to U. Wisconsin-Platteville in six innings, 8-0.

Tricia Culver (Northampton, MA) had a big game against Fredonia State, with two hits, including a double and a home run, and one RBI.  Culver hit her home run in her first at-bat, and was the first to score for Lasell. 

Fredonia took a 9-0 lead after the first two innings.  Lasell came back to score five runs between the third and fifth innings, while holding Fredonia without another score, but two final trips around the bags in the seventh for the Blue Devils capped the 11-5 contest.  

Culvers home run took place in the third innings, followed by Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, MA) earning an RBI as Kerrie Starkey (Keene, NH) came around to home plate.  In the fourth innings, Talia DeChaira (Kingston, MA) and Culver scored runs and Kelly Silvia (Oaks Bluff, MA) earned one RBI. In the fifth, Starkey gained an RBI when Jacqueline Saluti (Braintree, MA) came around the bags. 

Silvia had two hits in the game, and Lasell also had one hit apiece from Ashley Laramie (Lynn, MA), Saluti, Decharia, and Starkey.  Silvia and Laramie made seven putouts in the field and Mammola struck out four on the mound for the Lasers in 5.3 innings.

After the win, Fredonia holds a 2-5 overall record.

Lasell then faced the Pioneers of U. Wisconsin-Platteville (4-2).  The Lasers fell behind 5-0 in the third inning and then dropped three more runs in the sixth to call the game, 8-0. 

Culver, Silvia, and Nikki Giatas (Billerica, MA) each notched hits in the game while Culver, Saluti and Michelle Torres (Waltham, MA) each walked once. Starkey was credited with a sacrifice bunt in the third innings and Culver stole one base in the contest.  Laramie made nine outs in the field and DeChaira secured four more, along with three assists. 

The Lasers are now 0-2 after one day of play in the young 2010 season, and will return to action on Monday, March 15th against N.Y. Polytechnic and Hamilton College at the Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.