THE BASICS 

Scores:  Lesley University, 4; Newbury College, 12 (6 innings)
Records: #1 Lesley University Lynx (22-12)
              #4 Newbury College Nighthawks (17-19)
Location: Weston, Mass. – Regis College Field
Date:      Thursday, May 3, 2018

THE LEAD: 

Junior Noelle Sass (Randolph, Mass.) went 3-for-3 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored to power No. 4 Newbury College past No. 1 Lesley University, 12-4, Thursday evening in second round action of the 2018 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Softball tournament at Regis Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• The Nighthawks struck first with a towering two-run blast to left in the top of the first inning by Sass to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead. Newbury junior Alina Milauskas (Elkridge, Md.) made it 3-0 with an RBI double in the second, driving in sophomore Mallory Stefan (Thornton, Colo.) who led off the inning with a walk. They added a fourth run as sophomore Ariana Gooden (Bakersfield, Calif.) hit a slow roller to second with the bases loaded but everyone was safe on the fielder's choice to account for a 4-0 score.
• The Lynx avoided further damage in the second, getting out of a bases loaded jam as freshman pitcher Jordan Day (Seminole, Fla.) induced a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. Lesley got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second to cut the score to 4-1 as senior outfielder Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) dropped down a two-out bunt single which allowed freshman Kristen DiCicco (Wantagh, N.Y.) to come around from second and score on an errant throw.
• Following a scoreless third, control issues plagued Day in the fourth resulting in three more Newbury runs. Junior Alexis Vieira (Pawtucket, R.I.) drew a bases loaded walk before freshman Hannah Besaw (Shrewsbury, Mass.) connected on a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 7-1. Day was replaced in the circle by freshman hurler Tallin Goldberg (Merrimack, N.H.) who was able to work her way out of a bases loaded jam, recording the final two outs to limit the damage.
• Sass belted her second two-run homer of the evening in the fifth to put Newbury on top 9-1 but the Lynx extended the game with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to make it 9-4 on an RBI singles by sophomores Ally Murphy (Raynham, Mass.) and Juliana Cecere (Revere, Mass.).
• Following a brief rain delay, the Nighthawks answered with three runs in the top of the sixth highlighted by a two-RBI single to right-center by sophomore Arianna Gooden (Bakersfield, Calif.)  
• Senior Samantha Libby (New Gloucester, Maine) recorded the final five outs in the circle to preserve the win for Stefan.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Stefan earned the win tossing 4 and 1/3 innings allowing three runs (0 earned) on six hits while striking out a pair to improve to 11-13 on the year.
• Newbury is the only NECC team to have beaten Day twice on the year, also beating the Lynx earlier this month 15-7 on April 24 as the rookie falls to 19-9 overall. 
• The Nighthawks have now recorded 10 or more hits in nine of their last 13 games.

UP NEXT 

The Lynx will take on No. 3 Baypath University on Saturday, May 5 at 12:00 PM in an elimination game while the Nighthawks will face No. 2 Becker at 2:00 PM in the winner's bracket match up. Becker defeated Baypath earlier today by a 1-0 score to account for the other tournament action.