SB: Lasell takes two from Anna Maria in GNAC opener to improve to 6-0

NEWTON, Mass. – The Lasell University softball team continued its best start in program history Friday afternoon, sweeping a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader from Anna Maria College, 10-6 and 6-5, at Taylor Field.

The Lasers improve to 6-0 on the year and 2-0 in the GNAC, while Anna Maria drops to 3-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

Lasell used a 14-hit attack to win the opener, including a 4-for-4 performance from freshman Ally Kirck (Hamden, Conn.) and a 3-for-3 effort from senior Bethany Hector (Jaffrey, N.H.) Both Lasers hit a double and they combined for five RBIs. The home team used a five-run rally in the fifth inning of the nightcap, keyed by Hector's two-run single, to overcome a 2-0 deficit and then held on for the win, holding off a three-run Amcat rally in the seventh inning.

Lasell will be idle until hosting Albertus Magnus College at Taylor Field in a GNAC twin bill on Saturday, April 3, beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Game 1 – Lasell 10, Anna Maria 6

Lasell jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first inning, sparked by Kirck's RBI double to left center and Hector's run-scoring single to left. After the Amcats regained the lead with one run in the second inning and two in the third, the Lasers tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the third on an infield RBI grounder by freshman Katie Hopkins (New Hyde Park, N.Y.).

The Lasers pulled away with two runs in the fourth inning on Kirck's two-run single, and four more in the sixth. The game-clinching rally included consecutive RBI singles by Hector, Hopkins, and sophomore Julie Macmillan (Acton, Mass.). Hopkins finished with two hits and two RBI in the game.

Freshman pitcher Eryn Sheeley (North Haven, Conn.) improved her record to 3-0 with a complete-game effort for Lasell, allowing four earned runs on seven hits, striking out 10 batters.

Game 2 – Lasell 6, Anna Maria 5

Anna Maria sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Snyder (Cromwell, Conn.) kept Lasell scoreless through four innings until the Laser offense erupted for a five-run fifth inning. After back-to-back singles by Sheeley and senior Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.) to opening the inning, junior Brianna Gendreau (Warren, R.I.) drilled an RBI double to right center, Hector followed with a two-run single to center, and Hopkins added an RBI double to left to knock Snyder from the game. Senior Nicolette Genkos (Worcester, Mass.) followed with an RBI single up the middle to cap the rally.

Sheeley walked to lead off the sixth inning and later scored on a wild pitch for what proved to be the game-winning run after Anna Maria rallied with three runs in the seventh inning to pull to within one run. Genkos induced a fly out with the tying run in scoring position to close out the complete-game victory, improving her record to 3-0.

Kirck, Genkos and Macmillan all had two hits for Lasell in the nightcap, and Hector drove in a pair.

-- 30 --