EAST BOSTON, Mass. – League-leading Suffolk University swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball doubleheader from Lasell College Sunday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park, winning 7-3 in the opener and taking the nightcap in extra innings, 3-2.
The Rams improve to 20-11-1 overall and 13- 1 in the GNAC, while Lasell drops to 15-13 overall and 6-6 in conference games.
The highlights for the Lasers were provided by senior David Marsell (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), who collected six hits on the day by going 3-for-4 in both games and pitching 7.2 strong innings in the nightcap.
The Lasers return to action with non-conference road games Wednesday, April 17, at Dean College (3:30 p.m.) and Thursday, April 18, vs. Pine Manor College (7 p.m.). Suffolk is scheduled for non-conference games Monday, April 15, at Babson College (11 a.m.) and Wednesday, April 17, at Curry College (3:30 p.m.)
Game 1: Suffolk 7, Lasell 3
The Rams took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Connor Troio and an RBI single by Rich Gilbride. The Lasers got one back in the fourth inning when senior Andre Marchesseault (Cheshire, Conn.) led off with a single and later scored on a passed ball. Suffolk tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning when Tim Brigham hit an RBI single up the middle and another run scored on an infield error.
Lasell cut the deficit to 5-3 with two runs in the top of the sixth. Senior Brett Sherron (Howard Beach, N.Y.) brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, and classmate Zach Herring (Fresno, Calif.) singled home a run. Suffolk came right back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, capped by a two-run inside-the-park home run by Will Hopkins.
Steven Rossi earned the win for Suffolk, going 5.1 innings and allowing no earned runs, five hit and four walks, striking out three.
Game 2: Suffolk 3, Lasell 2 (8 innings)
The Lasers jumped on top with two runs in the top of the first inning. Marsell and Marchesseault singled and senior Chris Maringo (Farmingville, N.Y.) walked to load the bases, and Sherron delivered a two-run single up the middle.
Suffolk scored single runs in the first and third innings to tie the score, both on infield grounders. The score stayed 2-2 through the regulation seven innings as Marsell and Suffolk's Charles Batchelder matched each other inning for inning on the mound.
The Rams completed the sweep in the bottom of the eighth as Trevor Lee doubled to right center field with one out. After an intentional walk and a single to center to load the bases, the Lasers tried to turn a double play on an infield grounder but the runner beat the throw at first base, allowing the winning run to score from third.
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