Softball: Lasers close out spring break trip with spilt against Maine Farmington and Mt. St. Mary (NY)

Kissimmee, Fla. – The Lasell University Lasers softball team split their final two games of their spring break Florida trip against University of Maine at Farmington, 11-10, and Mount Saint Mary College New York, 11-2, Thursday night.

Game 1 – UMaine Farmington 11 Lasell 10 (8 Innings)

The Beavers scored early and often in the first frame getting their first run on a wild pitch and then getting a second on a single from junior Chelsea Davis (Gray, Maine). Singles by senior Emma Campbell (Corinth, Maine), Mackenzie Dyer (Hancock, Maine), sophomore Kiley Merritt (Lisbon Falls, Maine) and senior Leah Stevens (Ellsworth, Maine) gave the Beaves a six-run lead after their first at bats.

The bottom half of the inning saw the Lasers take a large chunk out of the Beaver lead getting their first run across when sophomore Ally Kirck stole home. Senior Brianna Gendreau singled home the Lasers second run. A ground out off the bat of junior Angelena Piers brought Gendreau home and sophomore Katie Hopkins scored on a wild pitch to cap a four-run inning for Lasell.

Maine Farmington responded to the four runs by Lasell with four of their own in the second inning. A sacrifice bunt by Campbell brought home the first run of the inning for the Beavers. Just like Lasell in the first, the Beavers got a run by stealing home as Davis stole home for the second run of the inning. The final runs came off the bat of senior Makayla Wilson (Belgrade, Maine) when she singled to center to bring two home.

Down six, the Lasers needed to start chipping away and they started doing that in the third when sophomore Eryn Sheeley helped her cause on the mound by bringing home Gendreau on a single.

Lasell got another run back in the sixth inning, on a sacrifice fly by junior Matara Tamzarian that brought home Sheeley.

The Lasers trailed by four going into the bottom of the seventh inning needing the offense to come alive to win or force extra innings. After making outs with their first two hitters, the Lasers dug in and continued to battle. They got one back after Hopkins scored on an error and cut the lead down to one on a two RBI triple by Tamzarian. The next batter was freshman Mackenzie Still and she delivered, doubling down the right field line and tying the game at 10 to send it to extra innings.

After going scoreless for five innings, the Beavers got one across in extra innings after a sacrifice bunt by Wilson got the runner to third, sophomore Olivia Paradis (Saco, Maine) grounded out, but it was enough to score Stevens from third to take the lead.

The Lasers were unable to answer in the bottom half of the inning and fell to the Beavers 11-10.

Freshman Carleigh Schievink (Charlestown, Mass.) got the win for the Beavers in relief throwing seven and a third innings only allowing two earned runs and striking out four. Stevens led the Beavers with two hits. Wilson and Campbell both had two RBIs apiece.

Sheeley threw all but one inning in relief for Lasell, going seven innings giving up one hit and two earned runs while striking out 10. Gendreau led the game with three hits, while Hopkins, Sheeley, Tamzarian and Still had two hits. Tamzarian led the game knocking in three runs as well.

Game 2 Lasell 11 – Mount Saint Mary (N.Y.) 2 (5 Innings)

The Lasers got off to a hot start in game two starting with a single by Gendreau to bring Kirck home. Lasell got their second run when freshman Samara Turgeon scored on an error by the Knights. Three grounders got the Lasers three more runs as grounders by Tamzarian, Sheeley and Piers brought home Gendreau, Hopkins and Sheeley, giving the Lasers a five-run lead after one.

The Lasers added more runs in the third inning, starting with a single by Piers to brought home Tamzarian. With the bases loaded Stills drew a walk to bring home Sheeley and give the Lasers a seven-run lead after three.

Lasell kept the odd inning run scoring going by scoring again in the fifth inning getting a run across on another Knight error. Tamzarian brought two home on a single to center field to give Lasell a 10-run lead. They finished the scoring in the fifth on another single to center field from freshman Emily Mestas to lead 11-0 after four and a half innings.

The Knights did not go down quietly, as they brought two home on a double to right field by sophomore Olivia Ferara (Middletown, N.Y.). It would not be enough to keep the game going as Lasell took the game by run rule in the fifth inning 11-2.

After throwing seven innings in game one, Sheeley got the start in game two and picked up the win throwing all five innings giving up two hits while striking out three. Kirck led the game with two hits. Kirck was also one of four Lasers to score two runs along with Gendreau, Hopkins, Tamzarian and Sheeley. Tamzarian led the Lasers with three RBIs while Piers and Gendreau both tallied two RBIs.

The Lasers will be back in action on Tuesday, March 22, when they travel to Worcester State for a double header. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.