Mount Ida takes two from Lasell Softball

NEWTON, Mass. – Senior Hayley Microulis (Pawtucket, R.I.) drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth that lifted Mount Ida College to a 4-1 nightcap victory over Lasell College and complete a sweep of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball doubleheader played Tuesday afternoon at the Mount Ida Softball Field.  In the opener, freshman Caitlin Hogan's (Derry, N.H.) two-run sixth inning single capped a three-run rally that lifted the host Mustangs to a 7-6 triumph.

Sophomore Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI in the opener to highlight the afternoon for the Lasers.

Mount Ida (14-19, 8-10 GNAC) jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in its first at-bat of the lid-lifter on an error, a fielder's choice by freshman Savannah Neilan (Somerset, Mass.) and a two-run double off the bat of freshman Madeleine Smith (San Diego, Calif.), but the visiting Lasers (8-24, 7-13 GNAC) sliced that margin in half in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Genovese and a sacrifice fly by freshman Nicolette Genkos (Worcester, Mass.).  Lasell took a 6-4 lead in the sixth on an error and RBI singles by Genovese and freshman Sarah Walton (Poland, Maine), but the Mustangs closed back to within one in the bottom of the frame on an error to set up Hogan's heroics, as sophomore Alisa Benson's (Middletown, R.I.) hook slide at the plate accounted for the deciding tally.

Hogan and Benson each had three hits as part of an eight-hit attack in the opener for Mount Ida, as Smith accounted for the other two Mustang hits in support of freshman Carrigan Costello (Wolcott, Conn.), who allowed two runs and fanned four over 6 2/3 innings of work to pick up her sixth win of the season.  Lasell also received two hits each from Walton, sophomore Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and freshman Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.).  Sophomore Nicole Arcese (Holliston, Mass.) suffered the setback inside the circle for the Lasers, as she allowed no earned runs and struck out one.

Lasell grabbed a 1-0 third inning lead in the nightcap when senior Ashley Gatchell (Franklin, Mass.) stole home, but Mount Ida evened matters in the fourth when Smith scored on an error.  That margin held up until the bottom of the sixth when Hogan singled, advanced to second and scored on Microulis's double to left center, and a pair of RBI singles off the bats of juniors Kristina Stella (Revere, Mass.) and Jenni Jackson (Marlboro, Mass.) provided insurance tallies for the Mustangs.

Microulis, Stella and Jackson each had two hits as part of another eight-hit attack in the second outing for the hosts, as Smith tossed a complete-game three-hitter and struck out seven to earn her sixth win of the spring for Mount Ida, which gained sole possession of the eighth and final GNAC spot with the sweep and holds a two-game lead in the loss column over Norwich for a post-season berth.  Freshman Hailey Haskins (Franklin, N.H.) went the distance inside the circle in the nightcap for the Lasers, as she allowed a pair of earned runs and recorded a strikeout along the way.

Mount Ida heads into Boston on Wednesday evening to take on Emmanuel in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader beginning at 6:00 p.m., while Lasell hosts New England College in a non-league twinbill on Wednesday afternoon in Auburndale, Mass. that begins at 3:00 p.m.

(Courtesy of Mount Ida Athletic Communications)

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