BB: Lasell splits first two games in Florida against Wisconsin Lutheran

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Lasell College baseball team split its first two games in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Sunday afternoon against Wisconsin Lutheran College, winning the first game in walk-off fashion, 5-4, before dropping the nightcap, 11-6.

Seniors Evan Michalek (Berlin, Conn.) and David Marsell (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) capped a two-run rally with RBI singles in the bottom of the seventh inning of the opener to help the Lasers pull out the come-from-behind victory. Classmate Brett Sherron (Howard Beach, N.Y.) had three hits in the nightcap to highlight the Lasers, including a pair of doubles and an RBI.

The games were the first two of nine contests on Lasell's Florida trip. The Lasers (3-1) are right back into action on Monday with a doubleheader against Finlandia University (Michigan), beginning at noon.

Game 1 – Lasell 5, Wisconsin Lutheran 4

The Lasers took a first-inning lead on an RBI single by Sherron, and another run came home on a throwing error. After the Warriors came back to tie the game with single runs in the third and fourth innings, Lasell pulled ahead again in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by freshman Matt Motyka (Vernon, Conn.).

WLC tied it up again with a run in the sixth inning and pulled ahead 4-3 with an unearned run in the top of the seventh. But the Lasers would not be denied in the last half of the inning. Sophomore Harrison Silva (Lowell, Mass.) led off with a single and then stole second. Michalek singled to right to bring home Silva, then stole second to set up Marsell's game-winning RBI single to center.

Senior Dan Petr (East Haven, Conn.) started on the mound for the Lasers and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out four. Sophomore Wyatt Sihvonen (Lebanon, Conn.) earned the win in relief after pitching a hitless seventh inning and being charged with the unearned run.

Game 2 – Wisconsin Lutheran 11, Lasell 6

The Warriors put runs on the board in each of the first four innings to open up an 8-0 lead. They went on to finish with 11 runs on 16 hits, while Lasell managed six runs on eight hits.

Down 8-0, junior Joe Sullivan (East Sandwich, Mass.) drove in Lasell's first run with an RBI single in the fifth inning. After the Warriors tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning, the Lasers finally came alive in the seventh with a five-run rally, which started with a bases-loaded walk to sophomore Jimmy Griffin (Worcester, Mass.). Sophomore Mario Kiaunis (West Haven, Conn.) followed with a sacrifice fly, freshman Matt Bischof (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) cracked a two-run double to right center, and Sherron finished off the rally with an RBI double to center.  

Junior Zach Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) started for Lasell but didn't get past the third inning, suffering the loss (1-1). Senior Brian Cohen (Rockland, Mass.) and junior Chris O'Connor (Duxbury, Mass.), each pitched one scoreless inning of relief.

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