CAMBRIDGE, MA – Lesley University claimed an 8-0 defeat of the Lasell College softball team in five innings on Thursday afternoon in the Lynx home opener at Buckingham Field. Lesley’s Cassandra Knox (Sea Cliff, NY) pitched a three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts as the Lynx improve to 8-6 this season (2-0 NECC). Talia DeChiara (Kingston, MA) led the Lasers with a 2-for-2 day at the plate. Lasell drops to 9-15-1 (5-5 GNAC) after the non-conference loss.
Lesley took a 2-0 advantage in the third inning when, with two runners on and two outs, Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, MA) connected on a homerun that easily cleared the left field fence. The homerun made the score 5-0 in the fourth, before the Lynx scored another run on a Chelsea Quackenbush (East Hampton, CT) double and a Jenna Fralick (Woburn, MA) sacrifice hit.
In the fifth and final inning, Lasell’s Tricia Culver (Northampton, MA) hit a single down the right line but the Lasers left one runner on base at the end of the half inning. In the bottom of the frame, Lesley’s Alyson Durben (Stow, MA) plated Jodi Fralik (Woburn, MA) with a base hit that reached the outfield and then scored on a Saltzman groundout play to the shortstop to end the game.
DeChiara had hits in the first and the fourth inning. Lasell’s Nicole Slader (Harrisville, RI) was charged with the loss allowing five hits and three earned runs. Jennie Beaton (Reading, MA) came in to pitch in the fourth inning, striking out one batter.
Lasell will compete in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play on Saturday, April 10th at Saint Joseph College of Connecticut. The doubleheader with the Blue Jays will begin at noon.