Myrtle Beach, S.C. (3/20/13) – After suffering a couple of close losses earlier in their spring trip, the Lasell College softball team staged some comeback heroics of their own to defeat Grinnell College, 7-3. The victory helped Lasell to 1-5 on the year, while the Pioneers slid to 0-5 in their young season.
Denise Archetto (Cranston, R.I.) led Lasell with a single and a double, scoring a pair of runs, and Michaelea Grady (Worcester, Mass.) scored twice after compiling a double and a walk on the day. Alison Saluti (Braintree, Mass.) went the distance for the Lasers, limiting Grinnell to six hits and three runs, only two earned, and whiffing five to earn her first win of the season.
Aniela Wendt paced the Pioneers with a pair of singles and a run scored, and Kristina Weber went one for three with a run and a pair of RBI's for Grinnell. Summer Wilkie yielded seven runs on nine hits while taking the loss for Grinnell on the hill.
Grinnell went on top right away when Weber drove in a pair of runs with a one-out single, and after a pair of walks the Pioneers appeared to be on the brink of a big inning. Weber scored on a passed ball to help her team to a 3-0 lead, but Saluti battled back and struck out the next two hitters to escape the jam without further damage.
Lasell got two runs back in the home half of the second inning when Archetto singled, Michaela Grady reached on a fielder's choice, and both runners came around to score on a single by Erin Larghi (Wakefield, R.I.).
Both teams failed to threaten much, going scoreless through the third, fourth and fifth innings, and the Pioneers were held without a run in the top of the sixth.
Nicole LeBlanc (Easton, Mass.) led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and a double by Archetto put runners on second and third with nobody out for Lasell. Grady walked loading the bases and everyone advanced on a wild pitch, tying the game at 3-3. Archetto scored on a RBI groundout to give Lasell the lead at 4-3. Three more singles and a walk, and the Lasers had scored five runs in the bottom half of the sixth, storming back to take a 7-3 lead.
Saluti allowed a two-out single, but stymied the Grinnell effort and Lasell earned their first win of the season, 7-3.