SB: Lasell falls twice to MCLA

NEWTON, Mass. – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) scored 16 runs on 32 hits Thursday afternoon to sweep a non-conference softball doubleheader from Lasell College at Taylor Field, 5-4 and 11-6.

The Trailblazers improve to 5-15 overall, while the Lasers fall to 3-13.

Lasell opens Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action this weekend with a pair of road doubleheaders, visiting Emmanuel College on Saturday, April 6, beginning at 10 a.m., and Johnson & Wales University on Sunday, April 7, starting at 12 noon. MCLA plays a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) twin bill at Fitchburg State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Game 1 – MCLA 5, Lasell 4

The Trailblazers took a 3-0 lead with single runs in the first three innings. Senior Kaitlyn Berghela (Watervliet, N.Y.) had an RBI double in the first inning, junior Kara Adams (Walden, N.Y.) had an infield RBI single in the second, and junior Erika Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) blasted a home run to center field in the third.

The Lasers evened the score with three runs in the bottom of the third. Junior Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) delivered a two-run single to left, and then came home on an RBI single by sophomore Sarah Walton (Poland, Maine).

Both teams plated a run in the fifth inning. Freshman Cassandra Crosier (Florida, Mass.) brought home a run for MCLA with a base-loaded grounder, and Lasell answered in the bottom half of the inning when Spellman came home from third after sophomore Hannah Doherty (Hampton, N.H.) stole second base. MCLA scored the game-winning run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by junior Kaylyn Holliday (Catskill, N.Y.).

Sophomore Samantha Feinstein (South Yarmouth, Mass.) earned the win (4-5) for MCLA, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and a walk, striking out two in the complete-game effort. Doherty suffered the loss (1-3) for Lasell, going the distance and fanning three.

Spellman and freshman Brianna Gendreau (Warren, R.I.) finished with two hits each for Lasell. Berghela and Nevada Nelsen (Colonie, N.Y.) had three hits apiece for MCLA, while Adams, Feinstein and sophomore Alanza Quinones (North Adams, Mass.) had two hits each.

Game 2 – MCLA 11, Lasell 6

The Trailblazers scored at least one run in six of the seven innings, finishing with 18 hits, including a pair of doubles. Quackenbush had four hits and three RBI, Holliday finished with three hits and three RBI, and Nelsen and sophomore Kayla Baker (Shrewsbury, Mass.) also had three hits each.

Lasell also reached double digits with 10 hits, including three from freshman Lisa Pare (Ellington, Conn.) and two each from Walton and junior Sarah Kline (Vernon, Conn.). Walton cracked a double and her first home run of the season and Kline had a triple.

MCLA had a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, but Lasell came back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. Kline had an RBI triple to right field before coming home on a wild pitch, and Pare added an RBI single to right and another run scored on an MCLA error.

The Trailblazers put the game away with one run in the fifth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh. Nelson cracked an RBI double to highlight the sixth inning rally, Holliday singled in a run in the seventh and Quackenbush capped the rally with a two-run single to center. Walton finished off the scoring for Lasell in the final inning with a towering home run to left.

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