FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Lasell College softball team split on their opening day in Fort Myers, Florida, beating University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and dropping a close 4-3 decision to Franklin & Marshall Univeristy.
The Lasers were defeated by Franklin & Marshall in the opening game, 4-3. Lasell was ahead, 2-0, holding F & M scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Diplomats scored four runs to take the lead. Though the Lasers scored once more in the bottom of the seventh, and had two runners on board with one out, but the Diplomat's Sarah Damato earned the save finishing out the inning and closing the victory.
Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, Mass.) pitched seven innings for Lasell, striking out two in her season debut. Tiffany Perla (Westminster, Mass.), Tricia Culver (Northampton, Mass.) and Amy Doyle (Kingston, Mass.) each scored a run for the Lasers. Jackie Saluti (Braintree, Mass.) and Heather Lynch (Warwick, RI) each earned an RBI apiece.
In their second showing, Lasell's Jackie Loseff (Point Pleasant, NJ) earned the victory on the mound pitching seven innings, allowing three runs, and striking out six.
The Lasers went up in the second against UMass Dartmouth then tacked on four more runs in the 4th to widen the gap to 5-0. The Corsairs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh but the Lasers finished the game ahead 5-3 to take their first win of the season.
Heather Rose (West Roxbury, Mass.) went 2-2 at bat, scoring once, and Saluti added another run along with an RBI. Talia Dechiario (Kingston, Mass.) got two hits, bringing in another run for the Lasers, and Kelly Silvia (Oaks Bluff, Mass.), Kerrie Starkey (Keene, NH), and Loseff each came home to score.
The Lasers are back on the diamond Monday with games against SUNY Brockport and Plymouth State University.