Softball's Season Ends in First Round of GNAC Tournament

NEWTON, MA-- The Lasell College softball team suffered a season ending loss, 8-1, in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference post season tournament to Norwich University on Wednesday afternoon at Taylor Field.  The Lasers, whom were the fifth seed in the tournament, fell to the eighth seeded Cadets, after just previously defeating them twice on Monday in a GNAC doubleheader at Norwich.  Lasell finishes their season with a 19-20-1 record, while Norwich advances to the quarter finals of the tournament with a 13-22 record.

Norwich got on top 2-0 in the first inning with  base hits by Christine Clark (Weymouth, MA) and Whitney Grennon (Franklin, VT) and a double by Marley Balasco (Barrington, RI).  Lindsay Carey (Colchester, VT) supplied a sac hit to bring in Clark, and Balasco scored on Whitney Grennon’s single.

The third inning more than doubled the visitors advantage with three runs on four hits.  Balasco started the inning with a triple into center field and Jessalyn Sweeney (Stanfordville, NY) pushed a single through the left side bases to score her.  Mackenzie Pratt (Hyde Park, VT) dropped in a single which resulted in a run, and Caitlin Wohlschlegel (Hemlock, NY) doubled to plate Sweeney.

Three more runs were scored by the Cadets between the fifth and sixth inning before Lasell found their way onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth.  Talia DeChiara (Kingston, MA) singled and moved ahead to second on an error in Norwich’s outfield.  DeChiara advanced to scoring position on a Laser fly out to right field, and scored when Ashley Laramie (Lynn, MA) unloaded a two-bagger deep into left field. The score remained unchanged through the final inning and Norwich returned home with the upset victory.

Balasco produced three knocks and two runs in the contest while Grennon and Kelsey Buker (Morrisville, VT) each went 2-for-3.  Wohlschlegel had one hit, one run, and two RBI and a half dozen other Cadets added a hit apiece.

Pratt  sealed the win for the Cadets in seven innings on the mound.  The junior pitcher struck out 10 Laser batters, yielding seven hits in the one run game.

Rachelle Haas (Middleton, MA) went 3-for-4 for Lasell while DeChiara, Laramie, Kelly Barden (Quincy, MA), and Jacqueline Saluti (Braintree, MA) contributed one knock each in the defeat.    Laramie added seven outs in the field at first base, as did Kerrie Starkey (Keene, NH) at second base.   

Lasell’s 2010 season culminates with a 15-9 GNAC, and 19-20-1 overall record. Norwich will face no. 4 seed Simmons College on Friday, April 23rd at Rivier College at 2:00 p.m. in the double elimination quarter-final round of the tournament.