Cape Coral, FL- Lasell softball rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh after trailing through six innings, only to fall in the bottom half of the frame after a two-RBI walk off single by Bria Hahn gave Edgewood College a 4-3 win.
The Eagles plated two runners in the second to take the quick lead which Lasell slowly chipped away at in the fourth and tied up in the sixth.
Candace Hankard (Wakefield, MA) was a contibuting factor in both of Lasell's runs which leveled the score at 2-all in the sixth. In the fourth, the sophomore infielder singled into left center to reach base, then scored on a miscue by the Eagles first baseman. In the sixth, Hankard earned the RBI, plating Antoshak with a double belted into center field.
Lasell's lead came in the final frame when Antoshak worked the count to her favor, walking with bases loaded to bring Ashley Laramie (Lynn, MA) in for the go-ahead run.
Hahn's single was set up by Kayla Rackow who had bunted to reach base and was directed into scoring position with a sacrifice fly by Emily Monson.
Lasell's starting pitcher, freshman Alyson Bermudez (Londonderry, NH) pitched through six innings, yielding just four hits and two runs while sending two batters to the bench on K's. First year relief pitcher Samantha Whynot (Randolph, MA) was hit with the loss in the final inning of work.
Hankard was 2-for-4 in the contest with one run and one RBI. Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, MA) and Laramie were the only additional Lasers with a hit apiece. Laramie knocked a double in the sixth inning as a pinch hitter.
Coming off the heartbreaker to Edgewood, Lasell faced regional competition against Salem State University. The Vikings doubled up on the Lasers, 8-4, at the end of seven innings.
Salem snatched up an early 2-0 edge in the first on an error and a sacrifice fly which scored Taylor Orlando. A base hit by Paige Flemming ran in the second run of the game, scored by Michelle Flower. Both runs were not charged to Lasell pitcher, Alison Saluti (Braintree, MA).
In the second inning, Saluti made two back-to-back strikeouts, along with a ground out, to end the inning fast. Unfortunately for the Lasers, the Vikings produced two more unearned runs in the third, as well as their first earned tally, bringing the score to 5-0.
Hankard, who went 2-for-3 in the contest, stepped up to smash her second collegiate home run in the fourth frame, putting Lasell on the scoreboard.
Salem would expand their lead through the next two innings, tallying two in the bottom of the fourth and one more in the fifth, pushing the score to 8-1.
In the sixth, Lasell would attempt to close in on the Vikings beginning their rally with a two-RBI base-hit by Laramie which scored Antoshak and DeChiara. Antoshak had earned her spot on the bags with a walk and DeChiara was hit by a pitch to find her route to score.
Hankard then produced another RBI in the seventh with a base hit which sent Kerrie Starkey (Keene, NH) on a circuit around the bags. Starkey, who had reached on a walk, was advanced into scoring position by Talia DeChiara (Kingston, MA) with a single. Salem closed the seventh inning without allowing the Lasers to get any closer.
Hankard closed the day with two RBI and one run in addition to her two hits. DeChiara and Starkey each knocked one hit and added one run and Laramie brought in two runs on one hit.
Saluti put in six innings of effort on the mound for Lasell, sitting two batters on strikes and allowing just four earned runs.
The Lasers, now 0-8 on the season, will play their final two games of their Spring break trip to Florida on Thursday, March 17th, facing off against Richard Stockton at 5:00 p.m. and Washington College at 7:00 p.m.