Newton, Mass.- Lasell's Heather Lynch (Warwick, RI) hit a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the seventh to seal the Lasers 11th season victory over the Lynx of Lesley University, 5-4. This is Lynch's fourth home run of the season, bumping Lasell's overall record to 11-8, while the Lynx drop to 5-6.
The Lasers opened the game with three quick runs to pull ahead in the first inning. Kelly Barden (Quincy, Mass.) got the Lasers on the board with an RBI double to right field, with Jackie Saluti (Braintree, Mass.) scoring the run. Barden was then brought around the bases by Ashley Laramie (Lynn, Mass.) who doubled to right center. Michelle Torres (Waltham, Mass.) then collected an RBI for sending Laramie home off her single through the middle, putting the Lasers up 3-0.
The Lynx retaliated in the second to tie the game at 3-all. Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass.) and Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass.) each scored with Durben singling, and Saltzman doubling to left field to get on. Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass.) knocked Durben in and Saltzman and DiGiorgio scored in the next play on a Laser error to lock the game even.
After a scoreless third, Lesley took their first lead of the game in the 4th as Lani Cabral-Pini (Wilmington, Mass.) hit an RBI single down the third base line, sending DiGiorgio home to take the 4-3 advantage. The Lynx held onto the edge for just one inning as the Lasers deadlocked the game again in the bottom of the fifth.
Lasell capitalized on Lesley's errors to tie the game up as Heather Rose (West Roxbury, Mass.) reached on an error then advanced to second on a stolen base. Saluti then got on base with another Lynx error, which also sent Rose home for the unearned run.
Both teams remained in a stalemate until Lynch led off in the bottom of the seventh for Lasell and knocked her homer over the left field fence to win the game.
Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, Mass.) was the victor for the home team on the mound, pitching seven innings with seven hits, four runs and 2 strike outs. Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, FL) took the loss, allowing nine hits, four earned runs, and striking out two.
The Lasers are back into GNAC conference play on Saturday, April 4th with a double-header against Norwich University on Taylor Field. The first game will begin at 12:00 p.m.