NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Fifth-seeded Albertus Magnus College rallied from a 5-1 deficit Wednesday afternoon and defeated eighth-seeded Lasell College, 6-5, in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball tournament at the Shea Softball Complex.
The Falcons trailed the Lasers, 5-3, entering the bottom of the sixth, but the hosts rallied for three runs on four hits to secure the home win. Lasell had taken the lead with a four-run fourth inning and one more run in the fifth before Albertus rallied for the win.
The winners advance to the double-elimination portion of the tournament on Thursday, May 3, and will face fourth-seeded Saint Joseph's of Maine at top-seeded Suffolk University. Lasell, which was playing in the post-season for the first time since 2011, winds up its season at 11-26.
Sophomore Laura Anderson (East Haven, Conn.) got things started for the Falcons, scoring the first run of the day in the first inning. Lasell took the lead in the fourth inning with the big rally. Freshman Sarah Walton (Poland, Maine) hit a bases-loaded single to left to start the scoring; classmate Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.) brought home another run when she was hit by a pitch; freshman Hailey Haskins (Franklin, N.H.) added an RBI single to center; and sophomore Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) capped the rally with a sacrifice fly. Walton added a sac fly in the fifth to push the lead to 5-1.
Albertus came back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to a pair of RBI from Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.) and Melissa Castillo (Taftville, Conn.). The Falcons took the lead in the bottom of the sixth as freshman Aubrey DeFoe (Watertown, Conn.) drove in a run, forcing Lasell to go to its bullpen. A bunt from Maxine Sanchez (Corona, N.Y.) moved Samantha Maselli (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) to second before Fortier cleared the bases with a two-run triple, giving the Falcons the 6-5 lead.
Lasell threatened the Falcons with runners on in the top of the seventh, but solid defense and pitching by the hosts sealed the win.
Sophomore Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and freshmen Nicolette Genkos (Worcester, Mass.) and Shayna Fondini (Burlington, Mass.) had two hits for the Lasers.
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