NEWTON, Mass. – The Lasell University softball team dropped a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) games to Rivier University Saturday afternoon, falling by scores of 8-4 and 3-1 in the regular-season finale at Taylor Field.
The Lasers wind up the regular season at 8-12 overall and 2-10 in the GNAC, while Rivier improves to 7-3 overall and 5-3 in conference play. Both teams will advance to the GNAC playoffs, with first-round games set for this Tuesday, May 4.
The GNAC will announce the playoff pairings by Sunday, May 2. The GNAC Tournament champion will crowned next weekend, May 8-9, and will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
Game 1 – Rivier 8, Lasell 4
Lasell took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning as junior Brianna Gendreau (Warren, R.I.) hit a lead-off double to left field and later scored on a Rivier infield error, and another run came home on an RBI single by senior Bethany Hector (Jaffrey, N.H.).
Rivier pulled ahead in the top of the second with a three-run rally, as junior Nicole Capra (Windham, N.H.) delivered a two-run double to left field and later scored on a wild pitch. The Lasers answered with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning to even the score, 3-3, as sophomore Angelina Piers (Bridgewater, Mass.) walked and later scored on a double steal.
The Raiders erupted for four runs in the top of the sixth to take an insurmountable lead. Capra had a two-run single in the rally, and sophomore Nicole Verrette (Haverhill, Mass.) and senior Katie Welch (Wilmington, Mass.) added RBI singles. The Raiders added an insurance run in the sixth inning, and the Lasers could only plate one more run in the seventh inning on another RBI single by Hector.
Verrette earned a complete-game victory for Rivier, striking out 10 batters to improve her record to 3-0. Senior Nicolette Genkos (Worcester, Mass.) suffered the loss despite pitching six innings of relief, allowing just seven hits and one earned run.
Game 2 – Rivier 3, Lasell 1
The nightcap was a pitching duel between Rivier senior Kellie Kennedy (Hudson, N.H.) and Lasell freshman Eryn Sheeley (North Haven, Conn.). Kennedy recorded the win, allowing just one run on eight hits and striking out six, while Sheeley took the loss despite giving up three runs on seven hits and fanning a season-high 12 batters.
Lasell again took a first-inning lead when Gendreau reached on an infield single, was sacrificed to second by senior Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.) and brought home by a single up the middle by freshman Katie Hopkins (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). The Raiders answered in the top of the second to even the score on an RBI single by sophomore Brenna Welch (Rindge, N.H.).
Rivier scored what turned out to be the game-winning run in the fifth inning after drawing three walks and plating a run on an infield ground out. The visitors added an insurance run in the seventh inning on an RBI single by freshman Kayla Miles (Londonderry, N.H.).
Hopkins finished with three hits for Lasell, while Gendreau and Genkos had two hits apiece. Senior Kasey Smith (Hopkinton, N.H.) had three hits for Rivier and junior Emma Rousseau (Litchfield, N.H.) had two.
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