Waltham, MA- After spotting Eastern Nazarene an early 4-0 lead, the Lasell College baseball team rallied for nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings to pick up a 12-5 decision which stretched their winning streak to three.
In the top of the first, Lasell starter Mike Mahoney (Rockland, MA) gave up a double down the left field line to third baseman Steve Doyle (Weymouth, MA) after striking out the lead-off batter. Doyle's hit was followed by a deep home run to left field off the bat of Luke Matthews (Boise, ID), giving the Lions a 2-0 advantage.
In the second, Eastern Nazarene combined three base hits with three Lasell wild pitches for two more runs. Helping Mahoney get out of the jam was right fielder Andrew Pompeo (Hingham, MA), who made a great diving catch in right centerfield robbing shortstop David Rivera (Bronx, NY) of extra bases.
With the Lions still leading 4-0 in the bottom of the third, Lasell got on the board against Eastern Nazarene starter Matt Jayne (Quincy, MA). Matt Mahoney (Rockland, MA) led the inning off with a line drive to left center over the head of Rivera and advanced to second on a Billy Uberti(Newton, MA) ground out. RBI machine Conor Cavanagh (Quincy, MA) lined a single up the middle, bringing Mahoney around to score to shorten the Lions lead to 4-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, with Mike Mahoney settling down on the hill with help from another great diving play by third baseman Bobby Stachura (Middletown, CT), the Lasers cut the Eastern Nazarene lead yet again. Shortstop Carlton Lentini (Wilmington, MA) hit a solo home run to left field, cutting the Lions lead in half (4-2).
With runners on first and second after back-to-back walks to Doyle and Matthews to start the top of the fifth, Lasell turned to right handed pitcher Chris Pittman (Brockton, MA) to get out of the jam. Pittman got the first batter he faced to ground back into a double play, with Doyle advancing to third. A passed ball scored Doyle for the fifth Eastern Nazarene run.
In the bottom of the sixth, after showing his power in the fourth, Lentini put his speed on display with an infield single, setting the tone for the inning. The Lasers followed that up with three straight base hits by Stachura, Pompeo, and pinch hitter Corey Mitchell (Rockland, MA), who bunted his way on, cutting the Lions lead to 5-4. Mitchell would be the last batter Jayne would face, being relieved by left handed pitcher Juan Rivera (Pelham, NH).
With runners on the corners Rivera's first pitch was thrown to the back stop, bringing home Pompeo to tie the game and advancing Mitchell all the way to third. With the go-ahead run stranded on third, Lasell carried out a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Uberti, giving the Lasers a 6-5 lead as Mitchell scored, with just one ball leaving the infield.
After the Lions loaded the bases in the top of the 7th and were unable to score, the Lasers loaded them again in their half inning, and cashed in four times.
After right hander Matt Winders (Plymouth, MA) was brought in to pitch for the Lions, Pompeo delivered a one-out double to deep right centerfield, scoring two. That was followed by yet another suicide squeeze, this one by Mitchell, his second bunt in as many at bats. The play worked once again as Mitchell reached base, while two runs came around to score, lengthening the Laser lead to 10-5.
The Lasers would tack on two more in the eighth to stretch the lead to seven. That would prove to be plenty for Pittman who shut down the Lions after entering in the fifth. He did not allow a single hit in five innings of work, while striking out four and picking up the win.
Jayne took the loss for the Lions, going five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and walking three.
Lasell improves to 10-5 on the season and will travel to Salem State on Thursday, March 31st for 3:00 p.m. game against the Vikings. The Lions dropped to 5-10 and will take on Curry College on Wednesday, March 30th.