Myrtle Beach, S.C. (3/20/13) – The Lasell College softball team suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Rio Grande University, falling 3-1 in a tightly contested pitcher's duel. The Lasers fell to 1-6 on the year with the loss, while the Red Storm improved to 7-6 overall.

Ashley Pearson (Lincoln, R.I.) doubled for Lasell, and Michaela Grady (Worcester, Mass.), Samantha Whynot (Randolph, Mass.) and Emily DeAngelis (Shelton, Conn.) each added singles for the Lasers. Eileen Bergin (Arlington, Mass.) took the loss on the slab for Lasell, holding Rio Grande to three runs on three hits while striking out a pair of hitters.

Megan Hayslip drove in a pair of runs with a single and Katie Fuller drove in another with a sacrifice fly helping Rio Grande to the victory. Kaitie Stewart earned the win on the mound for the Red Storm, holding Lasell to one run on four hits while fanning five hitters in the game.

Kaylee Walk singled and advanced to second to lead off the bottom first, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Fuller to take a 1-0 lead.

Lasell tied the game in the top of the second when Nicole LeBlanc (Easton, Mass.) walked to open the inning, advanced on a sacrifice by Archetto and scored on a single by Emily DeAngelis.

The two teams failed to record a hit as they went scoreless through the fourth inning, with the game remaining tied at 1-1.

Ashley Pearson doubled with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, but the Lasers were unable to break through as Stewart induced an inning ending groundout.

Rio Grande used a leadoff single from Haley Gwin and Kimberly Rollins reached when she was hit by a pitch before both of them came around to score on a single by Hayslip to take a 3-1 lead.

Lasell failed to push anyone across the plate in either of their final two at-bats, losing 3-1 on the afternoon.