Softball Drops Two to Suffolk in GNAC Home Opener

NEWTON, Mass. (4/10/16) – The Lasell softball team fell on both ends of their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) home opener against Suffolk University Saturday afternoon on Taylor Field. The Rams took the Lasers in six innings in game one, 8-0, and closed the DH in game two 13-6.

With the losses, the Lasers dip to 0-4 in the GNAC and 3-11 overall, while the Rams climb to 3-1 in the conference and 12-4 this season.

Game One – Suffolk: 8 Lasell: 0

Freshman Marissa Spivey (Brockton, Mass.) accounted for the lone hit for the Lasers, as Rams' sophomore pitcher Ali Yamakaitis (Avenel, N.J.) tossed a full game, and allowed one hit with one walk and five strikeouts.

Suffolk's heavy hitting was led by Devlin Frost (Tewksbury, Mass.), who went 2-for-4 on the day, highlighted by a solo shot to right field. Delaney Sylvester (Worcester, Mass.) and Madison Eucalitto (Old Saybrook, Conn.) chipped in with two ribbies apiece, while Sydney Littlefield (Methuen, Mass.) went a perfect 4-for-4 in the victory.

Game Two – Suffolk: 13 Lasell: 6

Sophomore Ashley Gatchell (Franklin, Mass.) had a 2-for-3 outing at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. Freshman Maggie King (Sandy Creek, N.Y.), senior Nicole LeBlanc (Easton, Mass.), and junior Mackenzie Madden (Mashpee, Mass.) swung into an RBI in the effort, with LeBlanc recording two sacs.

Suffolk carried its momentum from game one into the top of the first inning, as a Sylvester double capped the two-run stretch. Sylvester later worked a walk in the top of the third and rounded home after a triple by freshman Jill Pulek (Cheshire, Conn.). Frost then came to bat and swung into a deep double to center field that slipped just under the outfield fence, and scored on the next play via a sac fly to center from junior Lindsay Pagano (Wyckoff, N.J.).

The Lasers came alive in the bottom of the third, as they ignited a four-hit, four-run performance. Gatchell singled through the right side to place freshman Mazie Baldarelli (Fitchburg, Mass.) on second, who got the bats going with a base hit to right field. Senior Erin Larghi (Wakefield, R.I.) did her job at the plate next to juice the bases for King, who worked a walk for Baldarelli's run. As the ball left the hands of junior Kim Crucioli (North Andover, Mass.), a passed ball allowed Gatchell to cross home. The inning saw two more runs return home for the Lasers, as they trailed the visitors by just one, 4-3.

The Rams wouldn't let the small margin hold for long, a three-hit, two-run outing bumped the lead to 6-3, before their last at bats granted an eventual 13-6 victory.

The Lasers will try to turn things around on Tuesday, April 11, when they return to Taylor Field for a GNAC series with Simmons College starting at 3:00 p.m.