Lasell Softball wins nightcap against Suffolk

NEWTON, Mass. – Freshman Sarah Walton (Poland, Maine) cracked a two-run home run in the second inning of the second game Wednesday afternoon to spark Lasell College to a 4-3 victory over Suffolk University and give the Lasers a split of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball doubleheader at Taylor Field. Suffolk took the opener, 10-0, in six innings.

With the win in the nightcap, Lasell snapped a seven-game losing streak to Suffolk, dating back to 2014. It also marked a dramatic improvement over last season, when the Rams swept the Lasers by scores of 17-6 and 5-0. With the outcome, Lasell moves to 6-18 overall and 5-7 in the GNAC, while Suffolk is now 19-7 overall and 12-2 in conference play.

Sophomores Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) each went 1-for-3 in both games for the Lasers, with both contributing a double and an RBI in the nightcap victory.

Game 1 – Suffolk 10, Lasell 0

Senior Ali Yamakaitis (Avenel, N.J.) allowed just five hits and two walks over six innings to lead the Rams, while striking out four batters to improve her record to 5-3. The Rams' offense pounded out 14 hits, including five doubles, to secure the win.

Freshman Payton Sylvester (Worcester, Mass.) scored an unearned run for the visitors in the first inning following a Lasell infield error, a sacrifice bunt and an infield groundout. The Ram bats exploded for three runs in the second inning after sophomores Ashley Zulla (Columbus, N.J.) and McKenzie McGrath (Exeter, N.H.) set the table with one out singles. Freshman Kelly Keane (Hamilton, N.J.) drilled an RBI double to left field, senior Madison Eucalitto (Old Saybrook, Conn.) followed with an RBI single to center, and Sylvester capped the rally with an RBI double to center.

The Rams tacked on a run in the fourth inning after Eucalitto and Sylvester led off with singles to put two runners on. Eucalitto advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on the back end of a double steal. Suffolk then put the game away with five runs in the sixth inning, as junior Jaclyn Flint (Medfield, Mass.) had a two-run single and McGrath added a two-run double to highlight the rally.

Senior Ashley Gatchell (Franklin, Mass.) went 2-for-2 to provide the highlight for the Lasers.

Game 2 – Lasell 4, Suffolk 3

The Rams struck first in the second inning when Flint led off with a double and came around to score on an infield out. The Lasers bounced right back in the bottom half of the inning when freshman Carly VanDeusen (North Haven, Conn.) walked with one out and Walton blasted her first home run and the team's first home run of the season.

Lasell made it a two-run lead (3-1) with a run in the third inning when freshman Hailey Haskins (Franklin, N.H.) singled to right and scored on a double to center by Genovese. The teams traded runs in the fifth inning, as Zulla cracked a solo home run to right for the Rams and Spellman answered with an RBI double to left for the Lasers.

Suffolk to the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth inning when Sylvester doubled to left and later scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Devlin Frost (Tewksbury, Mass.) but the Rams left two runners on base.

Haskins earned the complete-game victory for Lasell, allowing just three runs on six hits, improving her record to 5-6. Freshman Constance Phelan (Longwood, Fla.) gave up three runs in three innings for Suffolk and was saddled with the loss (1-1).

Next Games

The Lasers are slated to return to action Thursday in a GNAC make-up doubleheader Thursday, April 19, at Mount Ida College, weather permitting, before travelling to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Saturday, April 21, for a conference twin bill, beginning at noon. Suffolk visits Mount Ida for a doubleheader Saturday, April 21, at noon.

-- 30 --