The Lasell softball team will look to continue with their winning ways in 2010. The Lasers are coming off a successful year where they posted a 21-19 overall record while going 14-10 in the GNAC. The Lasers finished the 2009 season in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament against Rivier College.
The team lost three seniors from t heir 2009 roster, including third team all conference members Heather Rose (West Roxbury, MA) and Heather Lynch (Warwick, RI) but will return third team all conference members senior captain Tricia Culver (Northampton, MA) and junior Michelle Torres (Waltham, MA), along with first team all conference junior Ashley Laramie (Lynn, MA).
Culver earned 10 RBI's on 16 hits last season, with five runs of her own. She finished the season with a .314 batting average and a .426 on base percentage. Culver also made 27 put outs in the outfield. Torres has the team's third highest batting average from last season, knocking in 12 runs on 28 hits, and 17 of her own runs. She was ranked the 25th toughest to strike out in all of Division III in the NCAA, having struck out only twice in 86 at-bats last season. Torres also had 29 put outs in the outfield for the Lasers.
Laramie was selected to the first team after finishing the season with a .327 batting average, a .383 on-base percentage, and a .612 slugging percentage. Laramie hit six homeruns, two triples, and six doubles out of 32 total knocks in 2009. She produced 21 RBI's and 17 runs of her own. In the field, Laramie made 171 put outs.
The team will also be led by the veteran leadership of senior captain Kelly Barden (Quincy, MA) junior captain Kelly Silvia (Oaks Bluff, MA). Barden matched 13 RBI's with 13 runs and Silvia finished the year with 71 put outs and 25 assists in the field, along with 13 runs and five runs batted in.
Sophomore Jacqueline Saluti (Braintree, MA) will also look to have another solid year for the Lasers. She has the highest batting average on the team of all returners (.330) and led the Lasers with 31 RBI's last season. Saluti also made 116 putouts, stole seven bases, rounded the bases 17 times, hit six doubles, one triple, and one homerun in her rookie season.
Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, MA) and Jennie Beaton (Reading, MA) return to the mound for Lasell in 2010. Mammola finished last year with an 8-6 season record, she made 21 appearances, starting in 14 games and pitching in over 100 innings, during which time she struck out 41 batters. Beaton finished the season with a 2-2 record, making nine appearances and starting in five games, striking out 14 batters along the way.
The Lasell softball team's season commences on their Spring break trip to Fort Myers, Florida, where they will face ten top teams from around the nation. The Lasers first contest is on March 14th against Fredonia State.