Saluti, Mammola Earn Wins as Lasers Topple Wildcats in Five Innings

Newton, MA-- The Lasell College Lasers downed the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats twice in just five innings of Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball action on Taylor Field, 10-2 and 8-0, on Monday afternoon.

Five innings was all it took for Lasell to generate an eight run lead to seal the victory in the opener. Alison Saluti (Braintree, MA) picked up her seventh win of the season, evening her record out to 7-7 on the year.  

Lasell loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning when Talia DeChiara (Kingston, MA) reached on an error and Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, MA) and Ashley Laramie (Lynn, MA) produced base-hits.  The Wildcats, however, got out of the inning without damage leaving three runners on base.

Lauren Lomonaco (Southampton, NJ) got the Wildcat’s first hit of the game, singling to right center field in the top of the second, yet no run resulted.

Two Wildcat errors brought home Lasell’s first run of the game in the second frame.  Kelly Silvia (Oaks Bluff, MA) made it to first on a hit to Johnson & Wales pitcher Rachel Marino (Northbridge, MA).  Silvia came home on a Rachelle Haas’ (Middleton, MA) attempt which caused two Wildcat errors in the field. 

Johnson & Wales went ahead in the top of the third inning, 2-1, on one hit by Korissa Bailey (Pelham, NH), a passed ball, and two Laser errors.  Bailey and Holliann Barry (Newburgh, NY) both scored unearned to give the Wildcats the advantage.   

The visitors lead did not last long as Lasell regained control in the bottom half of the frame.  Michelle Torres (Waltham, MA) scored, unearned, on an error in the Wildcat’s outfield after a single to right side.  Two more runs were scored in the fourth inning, beginning when a Haas double dropped into left center field and a DeChiara triple into right field scored Haas.  DeChiara scored on a subsequent error by Johnson & Wales, giving the Lasers a 4-2 edge after four innings.

In the fifth inning, Laramie led off with a mammoth shot over the left field fence on a Marino offering.   Barden doubled and then advanced to third on a Starkey single.  Tricia Culver (Northampton, MA) sent a base-hit down the third base line to load the bases and a two-RBI single by Silvia through the middle plated Barden and Starkey.  Culver came home on a DeChiara hit up the middle and Torres sent DeChiara and Silvia around the bags with a hit into center field, producing the necessary eight run lead to close the game, 10-2.

Torres, DeChiara, and Laramie each had two hits in the contest for Lasell and collectively produced six RBI. 

 Amanda Rae Sullivan (East Granby, CT), the Wildcats’ starting pitcher in game two, began the contest by striking out her first batter. The Lasers bats woke up in the second inning, allowing Lasell to come up with an early lead, 1-0.

Barden started the second inning with a double which lined deep into left field and Jacqueline Saluti (Braintree, MA) followed with a bomb into center field, bringing Barden around the final two bags for the lead. Marissa McHugh (Plymouth, MA) advanced Saluti on a sacrifice bunt.  A smart fielding play by Bailey gave Johnson & Wales two outs without allowing Saluti to push ahead further.  A final pop out to Bailey ended the inning without auxiliary runs by Lasell.

Silvia started things off in the third inning with a single, but a double-play in the field by JWU picked off Haas at first and Silvia attempting to proceed to third.  A ground out finished the inning without a change in score.

Mammola struck out one Wildcat in the fourth inning, still holding the visitors scoreless.  On Lasell’s chance at the plate, Laramie and Jacqueline Saluti each pulled out hits and proceeded to second and third on a Wildcat throwing error.  McHugh loaded the bases walking on four straight pitches, and Starkey brought home the two lead runners with a base-knock up the middle.  Culver pushed the remaining runners ahead a base after being thrown out at first, and Silvia earned two RBI with a single through the middle, give the hosts a 5-0 lead heading into the fifth.

The Wildcats first error of the second game put DeChiara on second base and a double by Barden plated DeChiara.  Jacqueline Saluti put a single through the middle to score the Lasers seventh run and a walk-off single by McHugh gave Lasell an 8-0 shutout of the Wildcats.

Jacqueline Saluti went 3-for-3 in the second game with two runs and two RBI.  Barden and Silvia also had two hits each and combined for three RBI and McHugh had a hit, a sacrifice, a run, and a RBI.

Mammola earned her seventh season win on the mound, equalizing her overall season record at 7-7.

The Lasers are back in action on Tuesday afternoon in a doubleheader with Emmanuel on Taylor Field at 3:00 p.m.