FRAMINGHAM, MA -- A pair of bases loaded extra-base hits sent Lesley to a 9-3 Game 1 win, and the Lynx fought off a fervent Framingham four-run seventh inning rally to preserve an 8-7 Game 2 win at Farley Field on Thursday in non-conference softball play.
An Emily Mangiaratti bases-loaded triple highlighted a five run second, and catcher Allison Fountain provided the insurance with a three-run double in the seventh, supporting starter Jennifer Dorval, who went the distance allowing no earned runs.
A four-run sixth looked like it had the Lynx in the driver's seat in the nightcap, but Framingham rallied for four in the bottom of the seventh before Dorval came on to put out the fire and pick up her first career save.
Mangiaratti went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI's in the opener, tripling for the second game in a row. Molly Sarson and Maria Nazzaro each went 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Dorval supported her own cause going 2-for-3 and scoring three times.
In the circle, Dorval allowed three runs, all unearned, scattered seven hits and struck out five, walking only one in the win.
The Rams scored twice in the first inning of Game 2 off starter Mary Dembinski, but Lesley took a 3-2 lead on a Nicole Mercurio base knock that scored Sarah Apgar. A pair of Rams doubles and a walk to open the third tied the game at 3-3, at which point Dembinski gave way to Cassandra Knox on in relief.
Knox escaped the third without further damage, and Apgar scored on a wild pitch to pull the Lynx on top 4-3 in the fifth. A passed ball, a wild pitch and RBI singles to left field from Dorval and Gabrielle Brixey made it an 8-3 game an inning later, but things got interesting in the bottom of the seventh.
A double, triple and a pair of singles to open the Framingham half of the seventh brought the Rams to within 8-5, and Knox walked Kyle Fortin to load the bases with no outs, at which point Dorval entered in relief. She induced a force out at the plate, but an RBI infield single by Jessica Morrissey brought the Rams a run closer.
Dorval then struck out Alyssa Begin, but a Sherren Doyle infield single scored Alysia Morrissette to make it an 8-7 game. With the tying run on third, Dorval got Taylor Ezold to fly to left, earning her first save and locking up the win for Knox.
Knox threw four innings, allowing four hits, four runs and striking out four.
At the plate, Brixey went 3-for-4 with two RBI's, and Apgar went 2-for-3 with three runs scored for the Lynx, which got back to within a game of .500 at 5-6 on the season.
Lesley opens its home slate on Sunday with a doubleheader against Mitchell College in New England Collegiate Conference play.