CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - In a match up of two undefeated teams in North Atlantic Conference play, the Husson College Eagles swept the Lesley University Lynx in double-header action. With the losses, Lesley drops to 12-8 (6-2 NAC) while Husson improves to 15-7 (12-0 NAC).
The first game was a pitchers duel between Lesley's Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) and Husson's Tammie Arsenault (Gorham, Me.). Both pitchers went the distance but Burnett fell into some trouble in the top of the seventh inning to give up Lesley's slim 1-0 lead.
Burnett was dominant once for much of the game as she finished with 11 strikeouts while giving up just three hits. Husson's Carolyn McAvoy (Brewer, Me.) started off the top of the seventh with a walk and scored the Eagles first run on a Shawna Bell (Corinth, Me.) triple to deep left field.
With the game tied at 1-1, the next batter Jenny Rollins (Corinth, Me.) fouled out to the first baseman near the out of play line. Momentum, however, carried the first baseman out of bounds which granted home plate to the runner at third. Husson took the lead at 2-1 and shut down the Lynx in the last half of the seventh to win the first game.
The bats came alive for both teams in the second game as the two squads combined for 26 hits and 12 runs.
The Lynx took a 3-2 lead in the second inning as second baseman Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass.) crushed an RBI double to left field. DiGiorgio later scored on a bunt single from Lani Cabral-Pini (Wilmington, Mass.). Jodi Fralick would drive in Lesley's third run of the inning on a single to left-center field, driving home Cabral-Pini.
In the top of the third, however, the Eagles would string together six straight hits against Lesley relief pitcher Amy Breen (Holbrook, Mass.) to rally back. Husson's Megan Richard (Wilton, Me.) had the big hit in the inning, a triple over the centerfielder's head to drive home two Eagles. Husson would end up scoring six runs in the inning on seven hits to take a 8-3 lead.
In the bottom half of the third inning, Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y.) would score on an RBI single from DiGiorgio to cut the Husson lead to 8-4.
With Burnett back on the mound for the Lynx, the Eagles would not score the rest of the way but held on for 8-4 win. Burnett finished the day with 12.0 innings pitched and 16 strikeouts while giving up just two runs.
DiGiorgio finished game two with two hits in three at bats with a run scored and two runs batted in. Ashley Cunningham (Mountain Top, Pa.) was solid at the plate going 3-for-3 and a run scored on the day.
Husson had major contributions from Dorothy Cameron (South Plainfield, N.J.) and Richard who had two RBI a piece.
Lesley will next be in action on Wednesday April 16 at 3 p.m. against Elms College in Chicopee, Mass. Husson will host Thomas College on the same day at 3 p.m.
To learn more about the Lesley University softball team, please visit their website.