Story courtesy of Rob Palardy, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lesley University beat Newbury College 10-2 in six innings on Thursday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball action and in the process improved their 2010 record to 14-9 (7-0 NECC). The Nighthawks dropped to 9-16 (2-7 NECC) following the loss. Game two was postponed and will be made up at a later date.
Freshman outfielder Emily Mangiaratti (AMHERST, Mass./Amherst Regional) went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI to lead the Lynx offense to victory. Lesley also got two hits from Jessica Guevara (NANTUCKET, Mass./Nantucket) and Alyson Durben (STOW, Mass./Nashoba Regional) in the game.
Newbury's Olga Cepeda (BOSTON, Mass./Madison Park) went 2-for-3 and Katelyn Mark (QUINCY, Mass./North Quincy) reached a personal milestone by getting her 100th career hit with a single up the middle in the fourth inning.
The Lynx scored first in the bottom of the second after designated hitter Ashley Cunningham (MOUNTAIN TOP, Pa./Crestwood) cracked an RBI double over the left fielder's head to give her team a 1-0 advantage.
An inning later with Mangiaratti on second base, Guevara got a bunt single to advance the runner but the speedy Mangiaratti raced around third to score the game's second run.
The Nighthawks scored in the fourth inning after Ariel Ross (GALES FERRY, Conn./Ledyard) popped out to the second baseman, but Mark tagged up at third base to put her team on the board.
In the fourth inning, pinch runner Rian Powers (PORTLAND, Maine/Deering) scored on a passed ball and Mangiaratti followed with an RBI bunt single to bring home to plate Chelsea Quackenbush (EAST HAMPTON, Conn./East Hampton). Guevara and Mangiaratti later scored on a passed ball and an error by the Nighthawks to give Lesley a 6-0 advantage.
Newbury got on the board again in the top of the fifth inning with two outs after a botched groundball by the pitcher that scored Katie O'Hara (ABINGDON, Md./John Carroll).
After a thunderstorm delayed the game, the Lynx scored four runs over the fifth and sixth innings to give Lesley a 10-2 conference victory. The final run was scored after senior Georgia Saltzman (LYNN, Mass./Lynn English) rocketed a hard ground ball off the third baseman that brought home Jodi Fralick (WOBURN, Mass./Woburn).
On the mound, Lesley's Cassandra Knox (SEA CLIFF, N.Y./North Shore) pitched 6.0 innings and gave up two runners, one earned, on six hits with five strikeouts. Knox improved her season record to 11-6. Newbury's O'Hara pitched 5.1 innings with five strikeouts.
Lesley will host NECC rival Mitchell College on Saturday, April 24 at 1:00 pm for a conference doubleheader on Senior Day. Newbury hosts Daniel Webster College on the same day starting at 12:00 pm.