EAST BOSTON, Mass. – The Lasell University softball team opened up the season with a doubleheader sweep of Suffolk University Tuesday afternoon, 6-5 and 13-8 at East Boston Memorial Park. The wins are the first in the coaching career for Lasell head coach Sarah Woodside.
The bats did not need to warm for the Lasers scoring 19 runs and collecting 19 hits between the two games. Senior Bethany Hector (Jaffrey, N.H.) had a home runs and four RBI in the first game, and junior Brianna Gendreau (Warren, R.I) had a double and knocked in three runs in the nightcap.
Lasell (2-0) will look to keep the momentum going on Saturday with a doubleheader at Gordon College, beginning at noon.
Game 1 – Lasell 6, Suffolk 5
The Lasers got on the board early with Hector hitting a three-run home run in the top of the first. The Rams would fight back in the bottom of the inning, as sophomore Leina Belog (Beverton. Ore.), would bring in two runs to cap off offensive heavy round of at bats for both teams.
Lasell tacked on two more in the third with freshman Eryn Sheeley (North Haven, Conn.) bringing in a run as well as moving a runner over to third to help her own cause on the mound. When the Lasers scored in the game the Rams would come right back. Sophomore Ally Cifaratta (Cicero, N.Y.) hit a solo homerun to center field to cap the scoring in the inning.
Hector was not done driving in runs for the Lasers. In the top of the seventh she slapped a single into right-center field bringing home Sheeley for her fourth RBI of the game. Suffolk would try and mount a comeback in the bottom of the inning with sophomore Savannah Scripter (Lancaster, Calif.) singling to center field bringing home two runs before the Lasers would shut the door.
Sophomore Becca Smith (Tewksbury, Mass.) was solid at the plate for the Lasers going two for three while Hector had two hits and four RBI. Sheeley was strong on the mound going the distance while striking out eight and getting her first career win.
Game 2 – Lasell 13, Suffolk 8
Lasell opened the game strong once again starting with freshman Ally Kirck (Hamden, Conn.) driving in a run on a ground out to shortstop. Sheeley would add another RBI in game two with a single to left field. Senior Nicolette Genkos (Worcester, Mass.) helped herself on the mound by driving a single up the middle to score Sheeley from second. Just like in game one the Rams would answer the Lasers in the same inning. Cifaratta drove in a run on a double to right center and senior Hailey Cockroft (Windham, N.H) brought another run home on a single to right field.
Suffolk would take their first lead of the day with Cifaratta ripping a two-RBI double down the left field line.
The Rams lead would not last long as the Lasers bats got hot in the third inning. Freshman Katie Hopkins (New Hyde Park, N.Y) got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly. Sheeley put the Lasers back on top, scoring on a wild pitch and sophomore Bella Richard (Burlington, Mass.) reached on an error while driving in a run. Senior Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.) collected an RBI on a bases-loaded walk and junior Brianna Gendreau (Warren, R.I), hit a sacrifice fly to end the scoring in the third.
Genkos kept the Lasers going in the fourth with an RBI single, while Kirck grounded out to second to bring home Richard in the fifth. Truesdale capped the scoring in the fifth inning stealing home to give Lasell a seven-run lead.
The Rams would tack on four runs in the bottom of the fifth with freshman Rebecca Gonzalez (Haskell, N.J.) and sophomore Leah Kornguth (Guilford, Conn.) collecting RBI singles. Cifaratta and senior Ashley Zulla (Columbus, N.J.) also had RBI singles in to cap off the inning.
Bendreau hit a double to right field, bringing in two runs to push the Lasers lead to five before Cifaratta brought home one more for the Rams on a single.
Genkos got the win for the Lasers while collecting three hits and driving in two, Sheeley collected three hits and Gendreau knocked in three runs while having two hits.
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