WATERTOWN, Mass. (4/21/15) - The No. 4 seeded Lasell College baseball team defeated No. 5 seeded Rivier University 1-0 in the opening round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) playoffs on Tuesday evening at Victory Field. 

Lasell senior pitcher Greg Sherman (Marshfield, Mass.) improved to 5-1 this season as he scattered two hits, walked one batter and struck out two over seven shutout innings on the mound. Classmate Ryan Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) pitched the final two innings to register his first save of the spring, not allowing a single run to come across in the tight 1-0 victory. Bowen struck out two batters - both coming in the bottom of the eight inning - escaping a bases loaded jam to preserve the shutout for the Lasers.

Senior thrower Alex Mears (Sandown, N.H.) shouldered the loss for the Raiders on two hits, one run (earned), and four walks alongside seven strikeouts. 

After both teams went down 1-2-3 in the first inning, Lasell got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when junior Tyler Flaherty (Portland, Maine) singled up the middle which allowed junior Wes Hurty (Windsor, Conn.) to come around and score the games' only run.  

Sherman retired the contest's 14 of 15 batters for the Lasers in an impressive pitching performance. Freshman Ty Seaton (Pawtucket, R.I.) was the lone Raider to record a hit off off Sherman - once on a single to left in the top of the third and once on a single up the middle. Both times, Seaton was left on base, as the game remained at the 1-0 score.

Bowen took the mound for Sherman in the top of the eighth to pitch the final innings of the game. After a shaky start allowing a bases loaded situation, Bowen tossed back-to-back strikeouts, catching the Raiders on the swing. The Raiders went down 1-2-3 in their last chance at bat, giving the Lasers the 1-0 victory. 

Lasell will travel to No. 1 seeded Saint Joseph's Maine on Thursday, April 23 with first pitch slated for 4:00 p.m.