BOSTON, Mass. - The Lesley University softball team swept all three games they played on Sunday to win the inaugural 2009 New England Collegiate Conference Softball Championship. The title marks the second conference championship in a row that the Lynx have won as they defeated Mitchell College in the finals.
NECC Semifinal - Daniel Webster College 4, Lesley University 7
Daniel Webster amassed a four run lead but Lesley's offense tallied seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 7-4 victory in game one of the day. All seven runs came with two outs as the Lynx managed to score off of five hits and two errors in the frame.
The Eagles got on the board in the top of the first inning after a Lauren Chesnulevich (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) double to right centerfield that drove in two runners. In the top of the sixth, Daniel Webster scored two more times on an RBI bunt single by April Molina (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde) and a error from the left fielder that brought home Molina from third base.
In Lesley's big inning, the Lynx got RBI singles from Jenna Fralick (Woburn, Mass./Woburn), Jodi Fralick (Woburn, Mass./Woburn), and Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass./Nashoba Regional). Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) walked with the bases load to bring in a run and two more crossed the plate via errors.
NECC Championship Game One - Mitchell College 1, Lesley University 3
Despite giving up another early run in the top of the first inning, the Lynx rebounded to score three unanswered runs to force a deciding championship game with Mitchell. In the 3-1 victory, Lesley pitcher Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla./Milton) gave up one run, scattered seven hits, and struck out three for the win.
Stacey Suplicki (New London, Conn./Saint Bernard) roped a single through the left side of the infield to drive in Nikkie Hoxie (Winsted, Conn./The Gilbert School) for the early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the first, Lesley took the lead with two runs on an infield single by Sarah Wilson (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) and a sacrifice fly by Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass./Lynn English).
The Lynx scored an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning as Jenna Fralick doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Jodi Fralick into left field.
NECC Championship Game Two - Mitchell College 3, Lesley University 7
Lesley struggled with six errors in the deciding title game against Mitchell, but the Lynx avoided any major scoring to with 7-3 and win the NECC Championship.
Mitchell once again scored in the top of the first inning with two runs on just one hit and three Lesley errors. Hoxie and Liz Roy (Jewett City, Conn./Griswold) both scored runs in the inning.
Lesley's Wilson helped chip a run off the Mariners' lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the first that drove in Jodi Fralick.
The Mariners scored their third run of the game after Sara Krolikowski (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) doubled to deep left center field with two outs. Suplicki singled to left field but the ball was misplayed, allowing Krolikowski to cross home plate.
Down 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lynx rallied once again to score six runs with Wilson adding to her RBI total with a two-RBI single, an RBI single by Spaziante, a two-run double by Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass./Lowell), and on an error.
Lesley's Burnett closed out the rest of the game to solidify her third victory of the day and the fourth of the tournament, giving up three unearned runs on six hits while striking out four.
NECC Championships All-Tournament Team
Kerrie Bowden - Senior, Shorstop, Elms College
Alison McBride - Sophomore, Outfield, Elms College
Tiana Winter - Sophomore, Catcher, Daniel Webster College
Samantha Langlois - Freshman, Pitcher, Daniel Webster College
Liz Roy - Senior, Shortstop, Mitchell College
Kristina Torres - Freshman, Pitcher, Mitchell College
Sara Krolikowski - Junior, Catcher, Mitchell College
Jodi Fralick - Junior, Catcher, Lesley University
Sarah Wilson - Senior, Third Baseman, Lesley University
Tournament MVP, Alicia Burnett - Senior, Pitcher, Lesley University
Contact:
Rob Palardy
Sports Information Director
Lesley University
617.349.8627 (office)
617.349.8640 (fax)
rpalardy@lesley.edu