KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Day two at the Rebel Spring Games brought two more losses for the Lesley University softball team, but the Lynx played hard against their highly touted opponents.  Lesley has an off day Tuesday but will be back in action on Wednesday against Chatham College and Albion College.

Game One vs. Hiram College

In game one of the day against Hiram College, a team that reached the North Coast Athletic Conference championship round in 2008, the Lynx were defeated 9-0.  Hiram exploded for six runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh inning to put away Lesley. 

Early in the game, Lesley escaped a jam after Hiram catcher Jena Ervin (Canfield, Ohio) walked and then a double by Stephanie Zunic (Canfield, Ohio) put runners on second and third base with one out.  Lynx pitcher Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) got a strikeout and forced the next batter to fly out to right field to keep the score knotted at 0-0. 

The Terriers broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning with the help of six hits and two errors by the Lynx.  Hiram's first two runs of the inning came after Chastine Romanello (Phoenix, Ariz.) singled through the right side of the inning, driving home teammates Whitney Dropsey (Ashland, Ohio) and Megan Samuel (Olmsted Falls, Ohio).  Ervin, Marlene Smith (Mechaniscburg, Pa.), and Zunic each had RBIs in the inning as well.

Zunic finished the game batting 4-for-5 with two runs batted in and a run scored. 

For the Lynx, Sarah Wilson (Lowell, Mass.) led her team with two hits in three plate appearances. 

The Terrier's starting pitcher, Dropsey, pitched a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts while only giving up three hits.

Game Two vs. Marian College (Indiana)

Marian College handed Lesley their second loss of the day thanks to a seven-run fifth inning, capped off by a grand slam by Jillian Ayres (Columbus, Ind.) that solidified the 8-0 slaughter rule victory in five innings. 

The Knights scored two runs earlier in the fifth inning to build a 4-0 lead and with runners on all bases, Ayres delivered the walk-off homerun with a blast to deep left centerfield.  The catcher finished the game batting 2-for-3 with five runs batted in and a run scored. 

Amanda Teagardin (Indianapolis, Ind.), Mallory Ortwein (Anderson, Ind.), and Jessica Slayton (Indianapolis, Ind.) all recorded RBIs in the victory.

Lesley's Cassandra Knox (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) was solid through the first four innings by giving up two runs and striking out three but struggled to contain the Marian offense in the fifth and final inning.

To learn more about the Lesley University softball team, please visit their website.

Contact:          Rob Palardy
                        Sports Information Director
                        Lesley University
                        617.349.8627 (office)
                        617.349.8640 (fax)
                        rpalardy@lesley.edu