Softball Splits Non-Conference Doubleheader with New England College

NEWTON, Mass. (4/10/17) – The Lasell softball team split a pair of non-conference games with New England College on Monday afternoon at Taylor Field. Lasell kicks a lengthy losing streak, and improves to 4-14 overall, while the Pilgrims shift to 6-14 this season.

Game One -  NEC: 4 Lasell: 3

Freshman Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) went 2-for-4 at the plate and gave Lasell one of its two RBI's, including a last chance push in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Erin Smith (Gorham, Maine) recorded an RBI of her own, while Griffin Cihak (Mount Ephraim, N.J.) swung into the final of three hits for Lasell in the effort.

NEC's Brianna Castellano (Hamilton, N.J.) drove in two of three runs in the winning effort, going 3-for-4 from the plate with a run scored. Alexa Scribner (Falmouth, Mass.) swung into two base knocks, while Gabreille Marcheschi (St. James N.Y.) drove in a run as well.

Lasell was first to strike in the bottom of the second, as a miscue by the Pilgrims' shortstop plated MacLeod for a 1-0 advantage. The Pilgrims halted any offensive push from the Lasers in the middle innings while tacking on four runs of their own, three of them earned, thanks to Castellano in the fifth and seventh.

Smith hit into a bases loaded groundout to score Nicole Arcese (Holliston, Mass.) in the home team's lasts at bats, before Spellman gave Lasell its final run of the game.

Arcese pitched a complete game, her fourth of the season, allowing eight hits and three earned runs, while striking out two. Marcheschi tossed the full 7.0 as well in her second complete game of the season, and improves to 3-3 on the year with four strikeouts and two earned runs.

Game Two - Lasell: 4 NEC: 3

Roles reversed in identical scoring fashion, this time in favor of the Lasers, with rookie Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) leading the charge on two hits, two RBI's, and a run scored.

New England College had two multi-hit performances by Marcheschi and Castellano, who each hit into a double in the effort. Marcheschi had two of three RBI's for the Pilgrims while Shawnie Clark (Holden, Mass.) recorded the other.

The Lasers again took the lead first on Genovese's double to center field, scoring Arcese from second. A Mazie Baldarelli (Fitchburg, Mass.) single to center scored Ashley Gatchell (Franklin, Mass.) on the play, before the Pilgrims attempted a comeback in the middle sides. In the third down 2-0, Clark's deep double to center drove in Castellano, but the Lasers retained the lead with two RBI's from Genovese on her second double of the game, and first year Esther Plouffe (No. Scituate, R.I.)

Marcheschi gave the Pilgrims a glimpse of hope in the fourth with a two-out deep single to center, scoring Chanel Welch (Seabrook, N.H.) and Rachel Kerrigan (Hyde Park, Mass.) on the play. Senior pitcher Krystel Enko (Haydenville, Mass.) escaped the threat with a final popup for the last out, and didn't allow a single hit from then on.

Enko fanned eight batters in the victory, one away from her season high, and moves to 2-4 on the season. Debra Mazzzeo (Bloomfield, N.J.) allowed seven hits and four earned runs in her 14^th appearance, and drops to 3-11 this season.

The Lasers return to action tomorrow, April 11 at 4:00 p.m. when they travel to Johnson and Wales University for a conference game originally scheduled for Wednesday. The Pilgrims will host Lyndon State College on Friday, April 14 for a NAC doubleheader. First pitch between the Pilgrims and Hornets is set for 3:00 p.m.