WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Lesley University baseball team wrapped up their annual spring trip to the RussMatt Invitational this morning with an 11-0 setback to Becker College in the rubber match of the opening New England Collegiate Conference series. Hawks pitcher Nick Lemay (Oxford, Mass.) hurled a nine-inning complete game shutout, scattering seven hits while striking out eight to pick up his second win of the season.
Becker moves to 4-6 on the season and 1-2 in NECC play while the Lynx return to Cambridge with a 1-5 overall mark and a 1-2 posting in conference play.
Becker junior Matt Consigli (Whitinsville, Mass.) paced the Hawks offensive attack with a 3-for-6 performance from the leadoff spot. The outfielder finished with two singles, a double, three RBI, and a run scored. Senior Tom Natoli (Suffern, N.Y.) also finished with three hits while scoring a run and knocking in an RBI.
Becker put up runs in each of the first three innings to take a 6-0 edge before adding three more in the seventh and two in the top of the ninth as the Hawks connected for a season-high 16 hits.
The Lynx threatened in bottom half of the third inning as sophomore Casey Blanchard (Bernardston, Mass.) led off with a single before John Gosenell (Toronto, Ont.) followed with a walk. After a strikeout, Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) singled through the right side and the Lynx had the bases load with one out. Lemay escaped the jam with a pop-up in the infield and a ground out to keep the Lynx scoreless.
Blanchard finished with a 2-for-3 day while junior David Hersey (Wolfeboro, N.H.) also picked up two hits, finishing 2-for-4.
Lesley starter Matt O'Donnell (Somerville, Mass.) threw seven innings while striking out four while senior Jeff Landry (Vestal, N.Y.) pitched two innings in relief, striking out one.
The Lynx will return to NECC action with a three game set with Elms College. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22nd at Trum Field before playing the third game of the series in Chicopee on Sunday. Becker will travel to Massachusetts Maritime on Thursday, March 20th for a non-conference game at 4:00p.