Lasell Softball drops pair on Day One in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. – The 2018 season for the Lasell College softball team got underway on Monday, and the Lasers went down to defeat in a pair of games at the National Training Center, falling to Becker College, 8-2, and Fitchburg State University, 4-1.

Freshman Bethany Hector (Jaffrey, N.H.) got her collegiate career off to a strong start, going 5-for-6 at the plate in the two games. She accounted for three of Lasell's five hits against Becker while also stealing two bases and driving in a run, and added a pair of singles against Fitchburg State.

Lasell got off to a good start against Becker, loading the bases with no outs in the first inning as sophomores Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) sandwiched walks around a bunt single by Hailey Haskins (Franklin, N.H.). Hector singled to right to drive in a run but that was all that Lasell could muster out of the inning.

Becker tied the game with a run in the bottom of the first, and pulled ahead for good with three runs in the bottom of the third. Lasell got one back in the top of the fourth inning when Hector singled, stole second and came around on an error and the back end of a double-steal attempt. The Hawks put the game away with a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Fitchburg State scored all four of its runs in the third inning of the late game, highlighted by an RBI double by Melissa DiPhilippo and a run-scoring single by Cammi Sperling. Sophomore Nicole Arcese (Holliston, Mass.) came on to relieve freshman starter Allie Borowsky (Dalton, Mass.) for Lasell, and pitched 4.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just five hits.

The Lasers managed just three hits until the seventh inning, when they put together a rally to prevent the shutout. Freshman Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and senior Ashley Gatchell (Franklin, Mass.) and Sarah Walton (Poland,  Maine) singled to load the bases; Spellman brought home a run with a bases-loaded walk, but the next Laser batter flew out to end the game.

The Lasers will play two more games at the National Training Center each of the next four days, beginning Tuesday against Rutgers-Newark at 2:00 p.m. and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) at 7:00 p.m.

-- 30 --