Northborough, Mass. (5/3/2016) - The Lasell College baseball team eliminated Rivier University in the First Round of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) playoffs, 10-4, on Tuesday evening at the New England Baseball Complex.
Senior Dan Gagnon (Pomfret, Conn.) highlighted the victory for the Lasers knocking home four runners, while he earned his 100th career hit on a two-run double in the second inning. Sophomore Dom Mascolo (Waterbury, Conn.) reached base three times on the night and swung into an RBI single, while seniors Wes Hurty (Windsor, Conn.) and Skylar Beckerman (Pensacola, Fla.) both smacked two hits on the night.
Sophomore leadoff Tyler Ferdinand (Middleboro, Mass.) ripped three hits on the night and drove in a run for the visitors, while senior Taylor Black (West Springfield, Mass.) finished his final game with two base knocks, a run scored, and an RBI. Senior Jeremy Ball (Swanzey, N.H.) and freshman Brandon Thibault (Methuen, Mass.) both reached base twice and contributed two runs to the Raiders' effort.
The Lasers got their bats going early when freshman Brett Sherron (Howard Beach, N.Y.) drove a double to deep right center that sent home senior Tyler Flaherty (Portland, Maine) and Mascolo for the first two runs of the night. Gagnon followed with a two-run double of his own, his 100th career knock, to extend the Laser lead to 4-0 in the second. Mascolo tacked on another Laser run in the third with an RBI single that drove in Hurty to take a commanding 5-0 lead.
The Raiders got on the board in the fourth on an RBI single by junior Drew Neely (Lakeland, Fla.) and continued to chip away at the Lasers' lead in the fifth, sixth, and seventh with one run in each inning. Rivier pulled within one run of the Lasers in the seventh after Black doubled in Ball from first base. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Lasers loaded the bases and drove in five base runners led by a ground-rule double by junior Hector Coscione (Newton, Mass.). The Raiders showed a glimpse of life in the ninth, until a base running blunder led to a double play to end the game, 10-4, in favor of the Lasers.
Senior starting pitcher Gary Trottier (Rehoboth, Mass.) threw a full nine innings on four runs (three earned), 11 hits, and struck out a total of five batters. With the win, the ninth of his career, Trottier ties the all-time wins record at Lasell College.
Senior Nicholas Pica (Hampstead, N.H.) gave up four runs over two innings in the loss for the Raiders.
The Lasers will continue playoff action on Thursday night at Suffolk University with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m.