Friday, April 7, 2012 (Newton, Massachusetts) - The Lasell College softball team split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) twin bill on Friday with host Mount Ida College, winning in the opener in a nail biting 2-1 victory but falling in the nightcap 5-3.  The Lasers now stand at 5-9 in the conference and 5-21 overall. 

Game One

First year player Mary Fontaine (Nashua, NH)  hit a home run in the second inning and Candace Hankard (Weymouth, MA) knocked in Santina Antoshak  (Closter, NJ) in the third to   give the Lasers the 2-0 lead. The Mustangs plated a run in the bottom of the 7th, to pull within one, but Lasell made the final out of the game, throwing out the tying run at the plate, to secure the win.

Lasell's junior pitcher Alison Saluti (Braintree, MA) captured the win with eight strikeouts giving up seven hits in the process.  Mount Ida junior hurler Devan Meeker (Bantam, CT) took the loss surrendering four hits with six strikeouts. 

Game Two

After two full frames of zero action to start game two, the Lasers plated one run in the top of the third inning on a single to center field by senior shortstop Talia DeChiara (Kingston, MA) going ahead 1-0. Mount Ida countered in the bottom half with two runs coming from a sacrifice fly from Meeker followed by an RBI single from sophomore Kristen Guerro (Fairfield, CT) to go ahead 2-1.

Lasell added two more runs in the fourth, taking a 3-2 advantage.   With runners on first and third the Mustangs attempted to fake out the runner on third throwing the ball down to second, allowing first year Ashley Pearson (Lincon, RI) to steal home on the fake attempt.  A single to center field by junior Rachelle Haas (Middleton, MA/Masconomet Regional) scored Jazmin Brito  (Newton, MA) giving Lasell the 3-2 lead. Guerrero put the Mustangs back on top for good with a towering three run home run in the bottom of the fifth to seal the victory.

Solid pitching from Mount Ida freshman Rayelle Peirson (Pittsfield, MA) solidified the win for the hosts.  Peirson went the distance surrendering four hits with three whiffs and four walks. Cassie Wadden (Brookfield, MA) took the loss for the Lasers, giving up six hits while striking out six and walking two.

Lasell will be back in action on Monday, April 9th when they travel to Anna Maria College for another GNAC doubleheader.  The first game begins at 3:30 p.m.