CLERMONT, FL -- Lesley junior Mary Dembinski threw a complete game in her first career start and then picked up her first save as a Lynx in Game 2 on Wednesday at the Dot Richardson National Training Center as Lesley lost 1-0 to Heidelberg (OH) and knocked off Fitchburg State, 13-7.
Catcher Allison Fountain led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double in the opener and 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI in Game 2. Gabrielle Brixey recovered from an 0-for-3 game to go 3-for-4 with three driven in against Fitchburg, and Jenna Fralick scored three times from the No. 9 hole as the Lynx picked up their first win of 2012.
Dembinski worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning and went on to shut the Student Princes out for the next six. She then came on for 2 and 1/3 innings of shutout ball for her first save in the Lynx easy win over the Falcons.
With one Heidelberg run already across in the top of the first inning, Dembinski loaded the bases with her second hit batswoman of the inning before forcing a fielder's choice and a fly out to limit the damage to a run. She settled in to retire 12 of the next 15 hitters, but more wildness again found her in hot water in the sixth.
A pair of walks and a pop-out to open the inning found her facing pinch-hitter Erika Jordan, who doubled home lead runner Lexie Pinkelman -- who was called out on an appeal for not touching third base. Dembinski dodged further damage with a ground out, leaving the Lynx within striking distance at 1-0.
Lesley would have its chances but ultimately fail to take advantage. With runners at second and third and two outs in the fourth, shortstop Sarah Apgar was frozen on strikes for the third out. Apgar and Maria Nazzaro, who represented the potential game-winning run, singled with two outs in the seventh, but Fralick flew out on the infield to end it.
Dembinski limited the Student Princes to four hits, striking out four, in going the distance for the tough-luck loss.
Heidelberg starter Ali Sayre earned the win, striking out six in the four-hit shutout.
The Lynx chipped away at Game 2 starter Allison Cousins before exploding for six runs in the fifth. Mercurio singled home second base player Jessica Guevara, who was hit by a pitch, for a run in the first, and Emily Mangiaratti plated Jodee Doka and Jenna Fralick before a Brixey sac fly made it 4-0 an inning later.
Molly Sarson and Nazzaro led off the fifth with singles and came around to score. A Brixey two-run single preceded a Fountain RBI double, which all helped up the lead to 10-1 in the middle of the fifth.
The Falcons didn't stay grounded, answering with six of their own in the bottom of the frame. A two-run double from Shannon Fitzgerald served as the big blow off reliever Stephanie Vassillion, who came on after four innings of one-run ball from Mercurio and was relieved with two outs in the inning by Dembinski.
Lesley tacked on runs in the sixth and the seventh, with a two-run Guevara triple plating two, as Dembinski silenced the Falcons over the final two innings to preserve the 13-7 win.
The Lynx wrap up their Florida trip tomorrow against Plattsburgh State at 8:30 and Rutgers-Newark at 10:30.
