Softball Falls to Lasell in Nine Inning Heartbreaker, 3-1

THE BASICS

Score: 
Lasell 3 -  Emmanuel 1 (9 innings)

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (24-18, 8-2 GNAC North)
Lasell University Lasers (27-15-1, 8-4 GNAC South)

Location: Providence, R.I. – JWU Softball Field

Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023

THE LEAD – The 2023 Softball campaign came to a close for Emmanuel College following a 3-1 setback to Lasell University in the 2023 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Tournament in Providence, R.I.  The Lasers pushed across two runs in the ninth inning to come-from-behind and close the door on the Saints championship hopes.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Similar to their game earlier in the day, runs were at a premium for Lasell. The Saints broke up a scoreless game with an RBI single in the fourth by sophomore catcher Samantha Hayes (Braintree, Mass.) to give EC a brief 1-0 lead.
• It wasn't until the seventh that the Lasers would be able to answer Matara Tamzarian would lead off the inning with a double. After a walk, Grace Stephenson brought home the tying run with an RBI single. After a ground out advanced a runner to third, Abigail Fortin flied out to right field. Alyssa Bland seemingly scored on the tag out, but was called out after the Saints appealed that the runner had left early.
• As she had done all game, Eryn Sheeley shut down the Saints in the bottom half of the inning, sending the game to extra innings.
• Following a scoreless eighth, the Lasers broke through in the ninth. Mackenzie Still led the inning off by reaching on an error. She would then steal second. Still was seemingly doubled off on an Alyssa Bland line out, but the umpires would get together, and determine that the ball had hit the ground, and that both Bland and Still were safe. Taking advantage of their second chance, the Lasers took the lead on a Grace Stephenson two RBI double to go up 3-1.
• The Saints would not go down quietly as EC opened the bottom of the inning off with a pair of singles by senior Maegan Amsler (Hanover, Mass.) and Madison Marks (Edgewater Park, N.J.). Hayes walked to load the bases with nobody out but Sheeley remained composed, and struck out the next batter. She then got the next one to pop out to second base. With two down, Sheeley would record her 10th strikeout of the game to clinch the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lasell outhit the Saints 7-3 on the day including three from Stephenson.
• Sheeley picked up the win to improve to 14-7 on the year, allowing the one run on three hits while striking out 10.
• EC senior Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) was the tough-luck loser, dropping to 14-16 on the year.

UP NEXT

• Lasell moves on to the GNAC Championship series tomorrow morning vs. Simmons University. The Lasers will need two wins to secure a title while the Sharks are one win away from the GNAC crown.

*Some release content courtesy of Lasell University Athletic Communications office