Nashua, NH – A seventh inning grand slam by Lasell's Marissa McHugh (Plymouth, MA) powered the Laser past Rivier College in game one of today's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double header 8-7, but the Raiders battled back to take game two 5-2 on the back of pitcher Lauren Beatty (Sherman, CT) to split the double header. The Raiders move to 14-8 overall and 6-6 in GNAC play while the Lasers get to 7-21 overall and 7-7 in GNAC competition. With just over one week left to play in the GNAC regular season, both teams are fighting for post season positioning and each could move up into the top four if things go their way.
In game one the Lasers found themselves down 3-0 after four complete innings, which included a two run home run by Amanda Thornton in the second, but they were finally able to break through in the top of the fifth with four runs on a number of bloop hits and defensive miscues. A leadoff single was followed by two straight outs, but the Raiders couldn't find out number three quick enough as three straight bloop singles that were just out of the reach of both the infielders and outfielders led to four runs.
The Raiders found themselves on top again after scoring three runs in the sixth after a pair of doubles by Amanda Ryan (W. Bridgewater, MA) and Marissa Mercier (N. Smithfield, RI) started the inning and a pair of singles pushed the runs across to make the score 6-4. That set the stage for the seventh inning as Lasell took full advantage of every opportunity they were given. A leadoff single by Talia DiChiara (Kingston, MA) was followed by another single from Kelly Silvia (Oak Bluffs, MA). A pop out back to the pitcher, Hillary Tarr (North Easton, MA), made the first out, but a bloop line drive that hung up just long enough for the batter Ashley Lamarie (Lynn, MA) to beat out, but not long enough for second baseman Karen Waterman (Rutland, VT) to make the catch, loaded the bases for McHugh. McHugh then hit a towering shot over the right-center field fence to clear the bases and put Lasell up 8-6. The Lasers continued to threaten in the inning, but left runners stranded at second and third, but did what they set out to do, which was take the lead. Rivier tried their best to make a last inning stand, loading the bases with no outs to start the inning. An error by shortstop Courtney Moen (Brookfield, MA) allowed a run to score, but on the play pinch runner Nadjeska Reynolds (Hamden, CT) was thrown out at third for the first out. Still the Raiders loaded the bases again on a fielder's choice that didn't result in an out. A ground ball back to the pitcher on the next play forced out the runner heading home for out number two and another bouncing ball to the pitcher resulted in the third out, the Raiders left the bases loaded and Lasell took the win 8-7.
Alison Saluti (Braintree, MA) grabbed the win for Lasell and Kristen Mammola (North Reading, MA) picked up the save. Tarr took the loss for the Raiders, giving up 8 earned runs on 13 hits with 3 strikeouts.
Kristen Mammola started game two on the mound for Lasell and Lauren Beatty pitched for the Raiders. Mammola started strong, getting the first three batters of the game, and got through inning two unscathed, but Rivier capitalized on a number of errors in inning three to pick up four runs. A single by Britnii Dyer (Douglas, MA) led off the inning then Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) reached on an error by first baseman Jacqueline Saluti (Braintree, MA). A single by Catherine Roy (Dracut, MA) drove in the game's first run and a one out single by Marissa Mercier made the score 2-0. Amanda Thornton then hit a high fly ball to left field that was misplayed and hit the ground to score another run and Karen Waterman hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in the fourth run of the inning to make it 4-0 in favor of the home team. The Raiders would add another run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Mercier solo home run to make it 5-0.
Beatty, meanwhile, was cruising through the game as she allowed just four base runners through the first five innings. The Lasers finally broke through for a run in the sixth inning when a single from Laramie into center field drove in a run to make the score 5-1.
Lasell had just come from a deficit in game number one and had thoughts of doing it again. The pitcher Mammola led off the top of the seventh with a home run to deep left field to cut the lead to 5-2, but Beatty was able to induce two weak fly balls to right field and a ground ball from Kelly Silvia to first base to end the game before the Lasers could make a full come back.
Beatty pitched all seven innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits with 3 strikeouts. On the other side, Mammola took the loss, giving up 5 runs (only 2 earned) with 3 strikeouts of her own.
Both teams will play at home tomorrow as the Raiders host Pine Manor College in a GNAC double header at 1:00 pm and Lasell will host Emerson in their own GNAC double header at 12:00 pm.
