Mustangs Sweep Softball in GNAC Twinbill

NEWTON, Mass. (4/27/17) – The Lasell softball team dropped two Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball games to Mount Ida on Thursday afternoon at the Mount Ida College softball field. The Lasers drop to 4-26 overall and 0-16 in the conference, while the Mustangs hop back in the win column at 13-18 this season and 7-11 in the GNAC.

Game One: Mount Ida: 10 Lasell: 1 (5 Innings)

In a game originally scheduled at Lasell, Mount Ida used eight runs in the third inning to take down the Lasers in a shortened game. Mustangs' pitcher Nicole Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) tossed the full five for the victory, allowing four hits and one earned run, while fanning eight batters.

Laura MacLeod (Old Saybrook, Conn.) roped her first homerun of the season, and second overall in her three years at Lasell, driving in Lasell's lone run of the opener. Nicole Arcese (Holliston, Mass.), Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.), and Bailey Burnett (Phillipston, Mass.) all reached on a base knock for Lasell in the effort.

All players in the Mustangs' starting lineup recorded at least a single hit in the victory, orchestrated by Hayley Microulis (Pawtucket, R.I.), who went 3-for-4 with two RBI's and a run scored. Emma Morton (Winchester, Mass.) drove in two runs of her own for the Mustangs on .500 hitting, while Michele MacDonald (North Dighton, Mass.) and Jenni Jackson (Marlborough, Mass.) hit into a an RBI single as well.

Lucianna Medici (Riverside, R.I.) worked a lead-off walk to open the game, and landed on second with her first of two stolen bases. On the next play, Medici flew off second base, stealing third on the play, and came around to score on a throwing error by the Lasell third baseman for the 1-0 lead.

Spellman answered the 1-0 deficit with a leadoff single to right, but was left on second after a sac bunt by Erin Smith (Gorham, Maine), as Handzel retired the side.

The scoring frenzy started in the third inning, as Morton and Jackson swung into a bases loaded single to center each, scoring three runners with one down. The bases stayed juiced for Alisa Benton (Middletown, R.I.), who plated Morton on a base knock for the 5-0 score. The infield fly rule retired Medici on the next play, but the Mustangs rallied for a two-out, four-run conclusion for the 9-0 advantage.

MacLeod's solo homer came in the bottom of the fifth, but Ida plated Microulis on a two-out single to left in the next half, to keep the first game at five innings. Senior pitcher Krystel Enko (Haydenville, Mass.) suffered the loss on the hill, allowing nine earned runs on 13 hits, with four walks and three strikeouts. 

Game Two: Mount Ida: 5 Lasell: 2

The first years shined in the nightcap, as Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Griffin Cihak (Mount Ephraim, N.J. ) swung into two hits apiece to lead the Lasell offense. Classmates Spellman and Arcese recorded a base knock and an RBI, while senior Mackenzie Madden (Mashpee, Mass.) accounted for the last of Lasell's seven-hit attack.

The Mustangs pulled away early with four runs in the second inning, two on a triple to right field by Kelson Weston (Hampstead, N.H.)., while Benson scored Weston with a bunt single before scoring on a double by Medici.

Lasell grabbed a pair of runs back in the fourth inning with two bases-loaded RBIs. Arcese was hit by a pitch before Burnett drew a walk as MacLeod and Madden crossed home.

Arcese took the loss in the circle for Lasell, despite four strikeouts and no walks Kaitlyn Muhlenforth (Bohemia, N.Y.) earned her first victory of the season for the Mustangs, allowing just two earned runs over five innings of work in relief of Handzel.

Lasell returns to home action tomorrow for a GNAC twinbill against Anna Maria beginning at 3:30 p.m.