Saints' Pitching Blanks Softball in GNAC Twinbill

Auburndale, Mass. (04/24/2016) The Lasell softball team dropped both games of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader against Emmanuel College on Sunday afternoon at Taylor Field. The Lasers fall to 7-23 and 4-14 in the GNAC while the Saints improve to 20-13 and 12-6 in the GNAC.

Game One: Emmanuel 9 Lasell 0 (5 Innings)

The Lasers' bats were held in check all game against junior Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) who did not allow a single a hit all game. Sophomore Tessa Beane (Swampscott, Mass.) was able to work a walk in the bottom of the fifth inning to end Kilcoyne's perfect game bid.

For the Saints, junior Susie Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) earned two doubles and a ribbie in game one while senior Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) reached base three times, scored twice, and drove in a run for Emmanuel.

The Saints put the first crooked number on the board in the second inning after six hits and an error pushed six runners across home plate. Emmanuel played small ball in the third inning, and contributed two more runs to the Saints' lead. Down by nine, Beane worked a walk to be the first base runner of the game for the Lasers. Unfortunately, the Lasers were unable swing into a hit, and left runners on first and second to end the game.

Sophomore starter Lydia Lewis-Hicks (Seekonk, Mass.)  allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits over two innings while Kilcoyne's clean slate was highlighted by nine strikeouts. Hicks suffered her third loss of the season at 2-3, while Kilcoyne improves to 13-6.

Game Two: Emmanuel 3 Lasell 0

Sophomore Laura MacLeod (Old Saybrook, Conn.) ripped a double for the Lasers while seniors Nicole LeBlanc (Easton, Mass.) and Emily DeAngelis (Shelton, Conn.) both singled in game two.

Freshman Megan Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) smashed a solo home run and scored twice on the day for the Saints, as fellow first-year Casey Sheehan (Medway, Mass.) earned two singles in game two.

Both starting pitchers began the game strong, until the third inning when Megan Kieselback smashed her second collegiate home run to break the tie, 1-0. The Lasers had a chance to score in the fourth with runners on first and second and one out, before a fielder's choice and a ground out ended the brief scoring opportunity. Lasell had a second chance in the fifth with runners on second and third with two outs, but a fly-out to right kept the zero on the scoreboard for the hosts.

In the top of the seventh, the Saints had runners in scoring position when Davis smacked a single in between third and shortstop to send home two insurance runs. With their last at-bats of the day, the Lasers went down in order to end the game, 3-0.

Kilcoyne continued her dominance in two innings tossed as she scattered just one hit, while senior counterpart Eileen Bergin (Arlington, Mass.) threw a complete game on three runs over seven hits. Bergin suffered the loss and falls to 3-11 on the year, as relief pitcher Megan Kieselback threw five scoreless innings on three hits and improves to 3-2 this season

The Lasers will host a non-league doubleheader against Pine Manor on Tuesday, April 26 at 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm., while the Saints travel to local city foe Simmons College on Wednesday, April 27 for a GNAC twinbill at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.