Lasell Baseball sweeps GNAC twinbill vs. Rivier

LYNN, Mass. – The Lasell College baseball opened the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) portion of the schedule in solid fashion Saturday afternoon, sweeping Rivier University by scores of 9-2 and 10-5, at Fraser Field in Lynn, Mass.

The Laser offense scored 19 runs on 24 hits in the doubleheader. Junior Rob Cutone (Tewksbury, Mass.) led the way, going 5-for-8 with two doubles and four RBI, while senior Jesse Tejero (West Haven, Conn.) and junior Andre Marchesseault (Cheshire, Conn.) had two hits in each game, Tejero going 4-for-8 with a double and two RBI and Marchesseault 4-for-6 with an RBI.

Junior Dan Petr (East Haven, Conn.) led the Laser pitching staff with a complete-game victory in the opener, allowing just two runs on six hits in seven innings.

The Lasers will have little time to rest, getting back into action Sunday with a GNAC twin bill against Suffolk University. The games have been moved to Suffolk's home field, East Boston Memorial Park in East Boston. First pitch of the first game is slated for 2:00 p.m.

Game 1 – Lasell 9, Rivier 2

The Lasers plated one run in the second inning and three more in the third and fourth innings to blow the game open. Cutone led a 15-hit performance by the team with three hits, while senior Dom Mascolo (Waterbury, Conn.), junior Evan Michalek (Berlin, Conn.), Tejero and Marchesseault all had two hits apiece, and Cutone, Mascolo, Tejero and freshman Sean Doris (Lincoln, R.I.) each drove in two.

Tejero got things started with an RBI single in the second inning. Doris' two-run single highlighted a three-run rally in the third, and Cutone delivered a two-run single and Mascolo added an RBI hit in the three-run fourth inning. The Lasers added insurance runs in the sixth inning on an RBI single by junior David Marsell (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and the seventh inning on Tejero's RBI single up the middle.

Petr did the rest for Lasell, blanking the Raiders for the first five innings before surrendering two runs in the sixth. He allowed just one extra-base hit among his six hits, walking three and striking out six.

Game 2 – Lasell 10, Rivier 5

The Lasers pulled away from the Raiders with single runs in the second and third innings and two in the fourth before blowing the game open with six runs in the fifth inning. Rivier made a comeback with two in the bottom of the fifth and three in the last of the seventh but Lasell held on for the win.

Cutone went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Tejero and Marchesseault each had two hits as well. Sophomore Luke Scholand (Albuquerque, N.M.) also knocked in three runs

Tejero led off with a double and scored on Scholand's RBI single in the second inning to put the Lasers on the board, and Cutone led off with a double and later scored on Marchesseault's sacrifice fly in the third inning. Scholand's squeeze bunt to score Tejero highlighted a three-run fourth inning.

After Lasell loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning, junior Zach Herring (Fresno, Calif.) was hit by a pitch and Scholand walked to bring in the first two runs. Michalek delivered a two-run single and Cutone followed with a two-run double to cap the rally.

Doris started and earned the win on the mound for the Lasers, allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits and five walks in five innings, striking out seven.

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