Northborough, MA - The Lasell Lasers baseball team opened their 2023 season with a win, defeating the Emerson Lions 10-9 in 10 innings on Saturday. The win gives the Lasers their first season opening since 2020.
The Lasers started the game and their season with a bang, as Christopher Bulk led the game off with a homer to left field. After a pair of singles from Tim Callahan and Matthew Bischof, Ross Audet singled to right field to knock in Callahan. The Lasers would load the bases, and then David Egan cleared the bases with a double, putting the Lasers up 5-0 after the first inning. The Lasers struck again in the second, as Callahan scored on a Bischof single. The Lions scored two in the bottom half of the inning on a home run to make the score 6-2. The Lions would add another run in the third on a second home run. They would inch even closer in the fifth, adding a run on a fielder's choice.
Headed into the sixth, the Lasers led 6-4. A walk and an error put to runners on, and Connor Freitas knocked them both in with a triple to left field, extending the Lasell lead to 8-4. Emerson would not go away though, as they would hit their third home run of the game in the seventh to make it 8-5. After a sacrifice fly from Freitas in the eighth made it 9-5, the Lions scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Lasers went down 1-2-3 in the ninth, and looked to close out the game leading 9-8. But it was not to be, as the Lions would score a run with two outs to send the season opener to extra innings.
David Egan led off the 10th, and immediately put the Lasers back up, launching a pitch over the left field wall. Adam Marsh then shut the door in the bottom of the inning, producing a 1-2-3 inning, ending the game with a strikeout.
The Lasers collected 13 hits as a team. Christopher Bulk, Tim Callahan, and David Egan each recorded two hits. Egan and Connor Freitas did the majority of the damage for Lasell, combining to knock in seven of the team's 10 runs.
Matthew Fletcher started on the mound for the Lasers. He went four innings, allowing three runs on five hits. he struck out five, and only walked one. He was relieved by CJ Mills, who went 2.2 innings. Mills allowed two runs, while striking out two. Darek Lallo was next on the mound, pitching 1.1 innings. He allowed three runs and struck out one. The last pitcher for the Lasers was Adam Marsh. He picked up the win by going two innings. He allowed one run and struck out two.
Up Next - The Lasers will returm to the field next weekend when they play four at Suffolk, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 4th at 12pm.