NEWTON, Mass. (April 10, 2007) - The Lesley University softball team extended its winning streak to six games, as it upended Mount Ida College twice this afternoon at the Mount Ida Softball Field. After taking the first game of the twinbill 8-2, the Lynx downed the Mustangs 5-2 in the nightcap.
Game 1:
In the first contest, Lesley collected nine hits en route to an 8-2 triumph. Senior pitcher Maureen Mikos (Fairfield, Conn.) went the distance for the visitors, surrendering two runs (one earned) on four hits. She tallied five strikeouts and walked a pair.
The Mustangs jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first frame. With the bases loaded, senior center fielder Adrienne Xenos (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) was hit by a pitch, and freshman first baseman Katie Lorenco (Mattapoisett, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) came around with the first run of the game.
Lesley broke through for four runs on four hits in the top of the third. A bases loaded single by sophomore center fielder Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y.) brought home a pair of runs. Classmate Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass.) followed with an RBI single, and Spaziante scored on a wild pitch.
Mount Ida strung together back-to-back doubles by freshmen Samantha Conly (Avon, Mass./Avon) and Stephanie Borbeau (Saint Albans, Vt./Bellows Free Academy) in the bottom of the fourth stanza to slice the deficit to 4-2.
From there, the Lynx tacked on four more runs to ice things. They scored one in the sixth, as sophomore shortstop LaniCabral-Pini (Wilmington, Mass.) walked, stole second and scored on a double by freshman catcher JodiFralick (Woburn, Mass.). The guests capitalized on three Mount Ida errors to add three more runs in the seventh. Cabral-Pini tallied an RBI single in the inning.
The first six hitters in the Lesley lineup accounted for eight hits. Leakas went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Fralick hit 2-fo-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Spaziante finished with a hit, a run and two RBI.
Cobb, Conley, Borbeau and freshman third baseman Melissa Montanaro (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) accounted for Mount Ida's four hits.
Senior Ashley Kowarsky (Springfield, Mass./Longmeadow) took the loss in the circle for the Mustangs. She surrendered eight runs (five earned) on nine hits in a complete game effort. The right-hander struck out one and walked five.
Game 2:
In the nightcap, Lesley survived a scare but escaped with a 5-2 victory. Both clubs registered eight hits in the contest. The Lynx committed four errors, but Mount Ida stranded nine baserunners.
Lesley broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the top of the third frame. Junior pitcher Christina Anzilotti (Pelham, N.Y.) and Pari connected for consecutive singles to get the inning started. Cabral-Pini then reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Anzilotti and Pari both scored on wild pitches, and Cabral-Pini crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Fralick.
The Lynx extended their cushion to 4-0 with another run in the sixth. Sophomore third baseman Sarah Wilson (Lowell, Mass.) singled to lead things off and was pinch run for by senior Katie Wilson (Kittery, Maine). Wilson went on to score, as the Mustangs attempt to throw her out at second base following a sacrifice bunt by Spaziante went errant.
Mount Ida squandered bases loaded chances in both the fourth and fifth frames. The Mustangs loaded the bases again in the sixth stanza. This time they capitalized, scoring twice to trim the deficit to 4-2. Both runs came across on a sacrifice fly by freshman right fielder Angelique DePaolo (Yarmouthport, Mass./Sandwich). Montanaro crossed the plate with the first run, and Conly scored on a throwing error by Lesley.
Despite Mount Ida's comeback attempt, the Lynx sealed things with an insurance run in the seventh. A single up the middle by Fralick plated junior pitcher Amy Breen (Holbrook, Mass.), who had singled to lead off the inning.
Breen, who pitched the final 1.2 innings, set the Mustangs down in order in the bottom of the seventh to close things out for the guests. She surrendered just one hit after relieving Anzilotti in the sixth.
Anzilotti was credited with the win after allowing two unearned runs on seven his in 5.1 innings pitched. The southpaw struck out four and walked one.
Sophomore Kerri Kwasek (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) went the distance in the circle for Mount Ida, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits. She recorded three strikeouts while walking a pair.
Leakas reached base all three times for Lesley. She doubled, singled and walked. The Lynx also received a boost at the plate from Fralick, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Cobb, Lorenco and sophomore left fielder Stephanie Moor (Modesto, Calif./Thomas Downey) posted two hits apiece for the Mustangs.
Mount Ida (0-20, 0-4 NAC) will be in action again on Thursday, when it hosts Wheelock College for a pair of North Atlantic Conference contests beginning at 3:30 p.m. Lesley (12-5, 2-2 NAC) will travel to Becker College for a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.