Baseball: Lasell moves to above .500 for the first time this season following sweep of Lesley

Baseball: Lasell moves to above .500 for the first time this season following sweep of Lesley

Waltham, Mass. – Freshman Matthew Fletcher (Wethersfield, Conn.) threw five no hit innings in game one and junior Spencer Murphy (Barrington, N.H.) walked it off in game two as the Lasell University Lasers baseball team swept the Lesley University Lynx, 4-1 and 4-3, Monday afternoon at Stein Diamond

Game 1: Lasell 4 Lesley 1

The Lasers broke through for the first runs of the game in the third inning as senior Matthew Bischof (Sleepy Hallow, N.Y.) flared a ball to right field that popped out of the glove of a diving freshman Matthew Ceruti (Northbridge, Mass.) that allowed sophomore Bryan Baumann (Deerfield, Mass.) to come home.

Freshman Andrew Gryniewicz (Hollis, N.H.) got the Lynx first hit in the top of the sixth breaking up a no-hitter being thrown by Fletcher. The Lynx used that hit to put a run on the board as sophomore Adam Budorick (Glensview, Ill.) doubled home sophomore Tyler Washington (Clark, N.J.) tying the game up at one.

Bischof did not wait long in the bottom half of the inning to untie the game as he led the inning off with a deep solo shot to right field. Freshman Devon Lapierre (Dover, N.H.) added two more to the Lasers total as he doubled down the right field line to bring home freshman Griffin Ferreira (Westport, Mass.) and graduate student Mack Palmer (West Windsor, N.J.).

Freshman Vaun Larisa (Lincoln, R.I.) came in to pitch in the seventh as shut the door as the Lasers took game one 4-1.

Freshman Jacob Nemergut (Monroe, Conn.) went the distance for the Lynx giving up nine hits and four runs while striking out five. Gryniewicz and Budorick had the two hits for Lesley, with Budorick driving in the one run for the Lynx.

Fletcher got the start and win for the Lasers throwing six innings while giving up two hits and one run along with striking out four Lynx batters. Larisa got his third save of the year throwing an inning without giving up a hit and striking out one batter. Bischof led the offense with two hits and two RBIs. Lapierre also had two hits and drove in two runs with his double and Ferreira had two hits along with scoring a run.

Game 2: Lasell 4 Lesley 3, 9-innings

Lesley jumped out to an early lead in game two as senior Ronnie James (Scranton, Pa.) singled home freshman Justin Dennett (Fairfield, Conn.).

The Lynx added a second run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by senior Ian Spillane (Chula Vista, Calif.) that scored James.

Lasell clawed one back in the fifth inning as sophomore Ross Audet (Swansea, Mass.) hit an RBI ground out to shortstop that brought home Lapierre.

Lesley responded with their next at bats as James hit a sacrifice fly to bring home sophomore Dylan McDonald (East Lyme, Conn.) barely beating the throw home from sophomore CJ Mills (Waltham, Mass.).

The Lasers came into the bottom of the seventh needing two runs to keep the game going and three to walk it off. With one out Baumann tripled into the gap in right center and quickly came home to score on a wild pitch by the Lynx. A groundout left the Lasers with one out remaining, but Bischof delivered hitting a solo shot to right center field and tying the game at three at the final chance of asking.

Lasell got the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth Murphy coming up to bat for his first of the day and he delivered the winning run with a grounder to third and the throw home was dropped by the Lesley catcher allowing Lapierre to slide in and score the winning run in extra innings.

Junior Dylan Langston (Chesapeake, Va.) got the start for the Lynx and threw five and a third innings while only giving up on run on four hits while striking out four. James led the way on offense for Lesley driving home two runs and adding a hit. Spillane also drove in a run for the Lynx while adding a hit as well.

Freshman Brendan Zaleski (Wethersfield, Conn.) got the start on the mound for the Lasers throwing five innings while giving up one earned run on three hits and he struck out three. Larisa struck out two and only gave up one hit in two innings of relief to get the win for Lasell. Bischof led the way with two hits in his three at bats and he drove in the game tying run in the seventh. Mills also had a good game at the plate going two for four on the day. Audet and Murphy each drove in a run and Lapierre scored two runs including the game winning run.

The Lasers will be back in action on Saturday, April 23, when they travel two Anna Maria for a match-up between the second and third ranked teams in the standings of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.