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| Lasell head coach Greg Harjula won his 100th game in his seventh season with the Lasers. Lasell athletics photo |
NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. (3/8/17) -- The Lasell College baseball team saw four different players hit home runs and head coach Greg Harjula earned his 100th career win in a twinbill sweep against Worcester State University Wednesday afternoon at New England Baseball Complex.
The Lasers enter their seven-game Florida swing with a 2-1 record on the season after earning 9-8 and 7-1 victories over the Lancers, who slip to 1-3.
Game 1: Lasell 9, Worcester State 8
Playing as the visiting team in the opener, Lasell trailed 6-1 after just two innings, but scored twice in the fifth and six times on five hits in the seventh to earn its first victory of the season.
Right fielder Skylar Beckerman (Pensacola, Fla.) went 3-for-4, scored twice and drove in three runs to pace the offense, while sophomore third baseman Andre Marchesseault (Cheshire, Conn.) continued his hot start with a three-RBI day. Center fielder Evan Michalek (Berlin, Conn.) drove in two runs in the victory.
The Lasers went to work quickly in the game-changing seventh inning. After sophomore second baseman David Marsell (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) hit a one-out single and senior Hector Coscione (Newton, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice, Beckerman smacked a three-run homer to right-center to break a 3-3 tie. Lasell added three more runs with two outs as junior Jesse Tejero (New Haven, Conn.) doubled to right and Michalek added a two-run knock.
Sophomore left fielder Mike Ferrara's (Easton, Mass.) single lifted WSU in the first, but Lasell got the run back quickly as Beckerman hit a double down the right field line, stole third and scored on a Marchessault grounder to short.
The Lancers scored five runs on five hits and two errors in the second to take a commanding lead, with senior designated hitter Adam Barry (Auburn, Mass.) hitting a two-out home run.
Lasell broke a two-inning scoreless trend in the fifth as Marchessault came up with two outs and delivered a bases-loaded, two-run single to center. WSU scored another single run in the sixth, but the Lasers responded in a big way in the seventh to sneak out the win.
Senior Casey Johnson (Windsor, Conn.) earned the victory in relief of classmate Coscione as he allowed one run on four hits and three walks over four innings. Patrick Colvin (Lenoxville, Mass.) allowed a run on two hits in the bottom of the seventh, but recorded a strikeout to earn the save in his first collegiate appearance.
Game 2: Lasell 7, Worcester State 1
The Lasers cruised in the nightcap as sophomore Daniel Petr (East Haven, Conn.) faced just four batters over the minimum in his six-inning start to earn the victory. Petr allowed just four hits and one run while striking out three before senior Matt Haskell (Wallingford, Conn.) fanned two in a perfect final frame.
Offensively, Marchessault went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while junior first baseman Dom Mascolo (Waterbury, Conn.) and sophomore designated hitter Brett Sherron (Howard Beach, N.Y.) each drove in a pair of runs. Lasell scored its seven runs on just six hits, including two of its three home runs against junior Matt Irzyk (Westfield, Mass.), the Lancers' starter.
Lasell sent all nine batters to the plate in a three-run, two-hit second inning. After Beckerman led off the frame with a walk, Mascolo opened the scoring with a two-run homer to left-center for his first two RBI of the young season. Two batters after Lasell loaded the bases, Marsell drew a two-out walk that forced Sherron home.
In the next frame, Sherron gave the Lasers a 5-0 lead with a two-out, two-run shot to center field. It was the reigning All-GNAC Third Team designated hitter's first collegiate homer.
Freshman first baseman Chadd Richardson (Bristol, Conn.) singled up the middle to score the Lancers' only run in the fifth, but Coscione grabbed it right back in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot that cleared the fence in right-center field.
Lasell manufactured its final run without the benefit of a hit in the sixth as Sherron was hit by a pitch and pinch runner Greg Camarda (Massapequa, N.Y.) advanced on a grounder to second base and scored as Valentin reached on an error.
The Lasers have the remainder of this week off before returning to action with their Florida opener against Old Westbury on Tuesday, March 14 at 3:00 p.m. The Lancers return to Northborough to take on Rivier, their second straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponent, on Wednesday, March 15 at 3:00 p.m.