Lesley Takes Two from Softball as 7th Inning Comeback Falls Short
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team rallied from for four runs down in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull within one but their comeback fell short as they were defeated 8-7 in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader this afternoon against Lesley University at Farley Field. They Lynx had defeated the Rams 9-3 in the opener.
With the victories, the Lynx improve to 5-6 on the season, while the Rams slip to 4-10 on the year.
In the opener, the Rams took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Junior Taylor Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) led off the inning with a single to left and was sacrificed over to second. After a strikeout, Ezold stole third and scored when the throw to third sailed into the outfield.
Lesley answered with five runs on four hits in the top of the second to take a 5-1 advantage. Sophomore Jennifer Dorval (Franklin, NH) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second when classmate Allison Fountain (Cheshire, CT) worked a walk. A bloop single to center by Maria Nazarro (North Reading, Mass.) loaded the bases for senior Jenna Fralick (Woburn, Mass.) and Fralick delivered an RBI single to left center. Junior Emily Mangiaratti (Amherst, Mass.) followed with a bases clearing triple to right center and then scored the fifth run in the inning on an RBI single from Jessica Guevara (Nantucket, Mass.).
A single run in the third on an RBI double off the bat of Molly Sarson (Sanford, Mass.) pushed the Lynx lead to 6-1.
The Rams cut into the lead with a single run in the bottom of the fourth and another in the bottom of the sixth. In the fourth, senior Alyssa Shea (Lakeville, Mass.) led off the inning with a single to left and moved to second a wild pitch. Senior Alysia Morrissette (Ware, Mass.) followed with a single to center and an overthrow from the Lynx outfield allowed Shea to score on the play.
In the sixth Shea singled with one out and advanced to third when an Alyssa Begin (Salem, Mass.) grounder was thrown out of play by the Lynx infield. After an out, sophomore Kyle Fortin (Candia, NH) drove Shea home with an RBI single up the middle that cut the deficit to 6-3 after six.
Three more in the top of the seventh on a three run double off the bat of Fountain put the game out of reach for the visitors.
Morrissette picked up the loss in the circle for the Rams going seven innings and allowing nine runs, eight earned, on 11 hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Dorval eanred the complete game victory for the Lynx allowing three runs, none earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts.
Lesley broke a 3-3 deadlock in the second game in the top of the fifth inning with a run when Sarah Apgar (Andover, NJ) scored on a wild pitch.
The Lynx would add four more in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 8-3 as they capitalized on a pair of pass balls and a wild pitch to score two runs. Dorval and senior Gabrielle Brixey (Coalinga, CA) drove in a run apiece with RBI singles to left.
Lesley relief pitcher Cassaandra Knox (Sea Cliff, NY) cruised through the sixth retiring the Rams in order, but the Rams rallied in the seventh to make things interesting. Ezold belted a double to right to lead off the inning and scored a batter later on a Shea triple to left. Freshman Tiffany Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) singled to center to drive in Shea. Fortin followed with a single up the middle and Morrissette walked to load the bases with no outs and drive Knox out of the game.
Dorval came on in relief and induced a fielder's choice that cut down Agostini at the plate. Freshman Jess Morrissey (Barre, Mass.) followed with an RBI infield single driving in one to cut the lead to 8-6. The Rams would have gotten more on the play but a diving stop by Fralick at third kept the ball in the infield and the Rams to just one run. Senior Sherren Doyle (Middleboro, Mass.) cut the deficit to one as she drove in Morrissette on another RBI hit kept in the infield by Fralick. Dorval was then able to induce a long fly ball to left from Ezold to end the game and earn the save.
The Rams had seven players with two hits in game two including Fortin and Shea who each picked up a pair of hits and a pair of RBI, while Doyle, Agostini and Morrissey each had a pair of hits and one RBI.
Knox earned the victory tossing four innings of relief and surrendering four runs, all earned, on four hits with four strikeouts. Starter Mary Dembinski (Venice, Fl) went two innings surrendering three runs, two earned on eight hits before leaving the game in the third inning with the score tied at three.
Junior Yaya Faria (Action, Mass.) picked up the loss for the Rams giving up eight runs, five earned, on 11 hits with four walks.
The Rams begin MASCAC action on Saturday when they host Bridgewater State in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., while the Lynx begin their conference schedule hosting Mitchell College at 1 p.m. on Sunday.