CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - A day after sweeping Elms College in a crucial North Atlantic Conference match up, the Lesley University softball team took two games from UMass-Boston to improve their 2008 season record to 16-8 (8-2 NAC).  With the losses, the Beacons fell to 3-22 (0-6 Little East Conference). 

In both games, the Lynx offense flexed their muscles as they tallied 30 runs in the two games combined.  Game one saw five Lesley batters get double-digit hits including Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass.), Sarah Wilson (Lowell, Mass.), Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y.), Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass.), and Alicia Pari (No. Providence, R.I.). 

Durben and DiGiorgio each had three RBI a piece while Wilson and catcher Jodi Fralick (Woburn, Mass.) knocked in two runners.  Durben also stole two bases. 

For the Beacons, Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, Mass.) had two hits and scored twice in the losing effort.  Shortstop Maria Nasta (Andover, Mass.) drove in a run for UMass-Boston with a single to left field in the fourth inning.

Amy Breen (Holbrook, Mass) got the win for the Lynx as she pitched five innings while walking two and striking out one.

The Lynx got out to a quick start in the second game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning.  Two of those runs came from a Fralick triple down the right field. 

The Beacons stormed right back in the top of the second inning to tie the game as Leanne Meninger (Everett, Mass.) hit an RBI single, Leigh Hammontree (Westport, Mass.) doubled to drive in one more, and Nasta scored on an error by the catcher.

Lesley, however, would not let their opponents take the lead as they would outscore the Beacons 11-5 to finish off the game.  Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass.) finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.  Durben had another solid game as she added three more runs batted in.  Pari had a solid game as well getting three hits, scoring two runs, and knocking one in. 

Lesley will travel to Vermont to face Johnson State College and Castleton State College on Saturday and Sunday.  Both games start at 1 p.m.  UMass-Boston will host Western Connecticut State College on Saturday April 19 at 1 p.m.

To learn more about the Lesley University softball team, please visit their website.