SB: Kirck and Sheeley Reach Career Milestones, Lasers Split Doubleheader with USJ

Hartford, CT – The Lasell University softball team split a doubleheader with the University of St. Joseph Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon 4-3 and 8-0. The split moves Lasell to 9-7 on the season and 1-1 in GNAC play, while the Blue Jays move to 7-13 overall and 1-1 in the GNAC.

Game One:

Katie Hopkins got the Lasers started with an RBI single to right field that scored fellow senior Ally Kirck in the top of the third inning. Alyssa Bland added on to the Laser lead with a ground ball back to the pitcher that scored Eryn Sheeley on the throw and the Lasers led 2-0 after four.

After a single, walk and sacrifice bunt, the Blue Jays had runners on second and third in the bottom half of the sixth inning with just one out. A single up the middle from Alyssa Roberts scored both runners and tied the game at two. The next batter grounded out to shortstop, advancing the runner to third and an overthrow at third base would allow her to score the go-ahead run. After six USJ led 3-2.

In the seventh, sophomore Abby Fortin got things going with a single to shortstop and graduate student Brianna Gendreau followed her with a single of her own to give Mackenzie Still runners on first and third. Still singled up the middle to score Fortin and tie the game yet again. The Lasers couldn't manage to get any more runs across in the top half of the seventh, leaving runners on first and third.

In the bottom half of the seventh a walk and single gave the Blue Jays runners on first and third with no outs. A sacrifice bunt from Kaitlyn Ouellette went back to Sheeley on the mound who got the runner at first, but the throw back home would be too late as the winning run crossed the plate and gave the Blue Jays the 4-3 walk off win.

Sheeley threw six innings for Lasell, allowing four runs, three of them earned on just four hits. She also walked six and struck out six. Sheeley reached strikeout number 400 for her career in the second inning, extending her lead on the all-time strikeout list.

Offensively for the Lasers, Fortin, Gendreau and Sheeley each had two hits. Shyanne Raccio doubled, Still singled and drove in a run and Hopkins also singled and drove in a run.

Game Two:

Game two would be a different story as it was all Lasell. Things got started in the third inning as Kirck tripled to left center, that would bring in Emily Mestas to score. The very next batter, Fortin, grounded a ball to the third baseman that would score Kirck and be ruled a fielder's choice and the Lasers led 2-0 after three. Kirck would get back up to the plate in the sixth, smacking a single through the right side of the infield, notching her 100th career hit.

Both sides couldn't manage anything offensively for the next three innings, until Hopkins came through with an RBI single in the top of the seventh. A walk would then load the bases as Sheeley stepped to the plate and lined a ball through the right side for another RBI single. A Mestas walk would bring in another run, then a single from Bland through the right side scored another, giving the Lasers a 6-0 lead. Back-to-back RBI singles from Emily Rondeau and Gendreau added on to the Laser lead as they would go on to win.

Fortin threw all seven innings for Lasell, allowing seven hits while walking two and striking out two.

Offensively, Gendreau, Kirck, Bland and Hopkins had two hits and an RBI apiece, Sheeley had a single and an RBI, Mestas doubled and drove in a run, and Rondeau also singled and drove in one run.

Up Next – The Lasers return home on Tuesday as they host GNAC foe Norwich University in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm at Taylor Field.

Written By: Cam Ames