Pride Softball Drops Consecutive One-Run Battles at Lasell

NEWTON, Mass. - In the league opener for both teams, Regis College took the early lead in each game of the doubleheader, but Lasell University put together one big inning in both contests to take the lead and then hold on to sweep the Pride, 5-4 and 4-3, Wednesday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball twinbill at Taylor Field.

GAME ONE: Lasell 5, Regis 4

Regis struck quickly in the top of the first inning as Bianca Burke (Cambridge, Mass.) led off with a single to left field and Andria Braga (Rehoboth, Mass.) followed with her first career home run hit over the fence in left field.

Lasell cut into the Pride lead in the bottom of the second when Eryn Sheeley drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third base, and scored on a Regis error. The Lasers pulled ahead with four runs in the third inning, including RBI triples by Mackenzie Still and Ally Kirck as well as a two-run home run from Katie Hopkins.

Neither team scored until the sixth inning when Regis put together a rally, starting with singles by Kayla Morrill (Lynn, Mass.) and Ciara Collins (Lynn, Mass.). After a wild pitch allowed the runners to advance to second and third, Chloe Beland (Southborough, Mass.) sent a single over the second baseman's head to drive in pinch runner Sofia Vitale (Winthrop, Mass.). Pinch hitter Marissa Allen (Coventry, R.I.) followed with a groundout that scored pinch runner Jaylene Deslauriers (Taunton, Mass.) to bring the Pride within one at 5-4.

The Pride could not take advantage of a one-out double down the right field line by Burke in the seventh inning as Sheeley induced a flyout and a groundout to end the game. Sheeley allowed seven hits, two walks, and four runs in her complete game victory, striking out 12 Regis batters.

Colby Butterfield (Gilford, N.H.) gave up seven hits, three walks, and five runs, four of them earned, in six innings of work for the Pride with three strikeouts. Burke led the Regis offense by going 3-for-4 with a double and a triple, while Hopkins went 2-for-3 for the Lasers.

GAME TWO: Lasell 4, Regis 3

Once again, Regis scored in the top of the first inning as Braga drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on an infield single by Diana Petrarca (Coventry, R.I.), and came around to score on a single to left field by Collins. Lasell threatened to score in the bottom of the second inning by putting two runners on with one out, but Collins caught a line drive and threw it to Madi Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.) covering second base to complete the inning-ending double play.

Lasell (11-5, 2-0 GNAC) pulled ahead in the third inning as Alyssa Bland led off with a single, eventually reached third base, and scored on a single by Emily Mestas. After a double by Brianna Gendreau, Mestas came in to score the go-ahead run on an RBI groundout by Still.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Sheeley led off with a single, and then Kirck and Abigail Fortin walked to load the bases with two outs. Mestas laced a single into left field, scoring Grace Stephenson and Kirck to extend the Laser lead to 4-1.

Braga led off the top of the fifth inning with a double and scored on a single by Morrill. Collins followed with an infield single, and then Beland hit a single to right field to allow pinch runner Lexi Nichols (Granby, Conn.) to come around and score, bringing the Pride within one at 4-3, but that would be as close as Regis would get.

Fortin notched the complete game victory for the Lasers, scattering 10 hits while striking out five batters. Petrarca took the loss, allowing eight hits, two walks, and four runs in six innings of work. She was also one of three Regis hitters along with Collins and Zancan to notch two hits in the game, while Mestas and Sheeley had two hits apiece for the Lasers.

Regis College (4-8, 0-2 GNAC) hosts Fisher College in a non-conference doubleheader Friday, March 31, starting at 4 p.m.