LEICESTER, Mass.- Lesley University delivered Becker College the first conference loss of the season as the Lynx topped their hosts 6-4 in game one of a New England Collegiate Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon in Leicester, Mass. The Hawks bounced back to earn a split on the day, downing the Lynx 4-2 in the nightcap.
Lesley, who will play as the No. 3 seed in next week's NECC Tournament, moves to 19-15 overall and 13-5 in conference play. Becker wrapped up the top-seed in the postseason and goes to 24-10 on the season and 17-1 in the NECC.
Game Two: Lesley 6, Becker 4
Box Score
The Lynx got their offense going early and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first when Jess Reynolds (Londonderry, N.H.) belted a three-run homerun over the left centerfield fence.
Reynolds would stay hot and supply Lesley with a 4-0 advantage with a solo blast in the top of the third. Her two homers marks the first multi-home run game of her career and now has three on the season.
The Hawks were able to scratch across a run in the bottom of the fourth when Rebecca Carkhuff (Amherst, Mass.) earned a walk with the bases loaded to cut the Lynx lead to 4-1.
Becker would tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jaclyn Orangio (Maynard, Mass.) got the inning started with a leadoff walk. After Orangio stole second and advanced to third on the throw down, Megan Klemanchuck (Pawtucket, R.I.) earned a walk to put runners at the corners. Samantha Lee (Prospect, Conn.) plated both runs with a double into the left centerfield gap. Brianna Herforth (Peru, Mass.) tied the game at 4-4 with an RBI single.
The Lynx would load the bases in the top of the seventh on a single, a double and an error. That's when Reynolds struck again, giving the Lesley a 5-4 lead with a single to centerfield. Courtney Goggin (Cheshire, Conn.) gave the Lynx an insurance run with an RBI single through the left side of the infield.
The Hawks would threaten in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out, but Alyson Nisbet (Clovis, Calif.) got Carkhuff to line into a double play to end the game.
Kaera Wyse (Reading, Mass.) earned the win after allowing four runs on five hits, while striking out ten Hawks – her second straight start with double-digit strikeouts. Nisbet earned her fourth save of the season after getting the final two outs.
Lee suffered the loss after allowing a pair of runs in her one inning of work.
Game Two: Lesley 2, Becker 4
Box Score
Becker used a long-ball of their own to stake an early lead as freshman Jennifer VanAlphen (Hudson, N.Y.) gave the hosts a 1-0 edge when she smacked a solo homerun in the bottom of the first inning.
Lesley would respond with a pair of runs in the top of the second. The Lynx tied the game with back-to-back doubles by Abby Henderson (Rochester, N.H.) and Reynolds to start the inning. After an infield single by Goggin put runners on the corners, Sydney Thayer (Reading, Mass.) gave Lesley a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly to right field.
VanAlphen tied the game in the bottom of the third with her second solo homerun of the day.
In the bottom of the fifth, Orangio put the Hawks in business with a leadoff triple into the left centerfield gap. Senior Jessica Wheelahan (Watertown, Mass.) gave Becker the lead for good when roped a homerun over the centerfield fence.
Samantha Lee earned the victory after allowing just one earned run in a complete game effort. Alyson Nisbet took the loss after allowing four runs in five innings of work.
Both teams will await the official press release for the NECC office to find out who they will play in the conference tournament. Becker has captured the regular season crown and will receive a bye in the first round of the tournament.
Release courtesy Becker College Sports Information