THE BASICS 

Score: 
GM 1 – Lesley University, 3 vs. Crown College, 5
GM 2 – Lesley University, 10 vs. Alverno College, 6 (6 inn.)

Records: 
Lesley Lynx (2-8, 0-0 NAC)
Crown Polars (3-7, 0-0 UMAC)
Alverno Inferno (1-3, 0-0 NACC)

Location: Naples, Fla. – No Collier Regional Park

Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025

THE LEAD – Lesley University closed out the Spring Break week with a 10-6 victory over Alverno College Saturday morning in NCAA Division III softball action at the Gene Cusic Classic in Naples, Fla. The Lynx split the day, dropping their first game of the day to Crown College, 5-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 2 vs. Alverno)

• Lesley stormed out to a quick 2-0 lead as the first five batters reached base, fueled by a two-RBI single by Leah St. John. Sydney McAvoy worked a one-out bases loaded walk to make it 3-0 before the Inferno got out of the jam with a double-play lineout limiting the damage to just the three. They then took advantage of several Lesley errors in the bottom half of the frame to push a pair across for a 3-2 score through the first inning of action.

• St. John stayed hot with a two-RBI double to left in the second to get the runs back before Lauren Martin lined an RBI single to center, plating St. John to make it 6-2 before Alverno got one back in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead in half at 6-3.
• The Lynx added four more runs in the top of the third to stretch the lead to 10-3. Jess O'Neill, Martin and McAvoy all collected an RBI in the frame. LU then flashed some leather in the bottom half of the inning, turning a 2-6-2 double play as St. John and Isabella Moscoso teamed up to catch two runners stealing at second and home to end the inning.
• In the fourth, Lesley turned another inning-ending double play to keep the score at 10-3 as junior pitcher Madison Herbert snagged a line drive before finding Martin at first to get the runner in motion to end the inning.
• Alexis Wheeler connected on a deep RBI-double to left, scored on an RBI triple to right-center by Giselle Moreno who eventually scored to pull Alverno closer at 10-6 through five innings of play.
• The game was called at the completion of the sixth inning when Alverno was unable to end the game with nine players on the field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 2 – Alverno)

• St. John finished the game with a career-high four RBI, collecting two hits in the win.
• Herbert (1-5) notched her first win of the year in the circle.
• Lesley increased its Spring Break winning percentage from last season by 200 %.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 1 vs. Crown)

• A leadoff triple to left by Emmy Romportl helped the Polars jump out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first, coming in on an RBI fielder's choice by Morgan Aylsworth but the Lynx answered with a run in their half of the frame on an RBI sacrifice fly to left by St. John to even the score at 1-1 through one.
• Crown broke the tie in the fourth with three runs on four hits including a two-RBI single up the middle by Kya Oakes, making it 4-1 through four innings.
• A two-out RBI single to center by Abbey Underdahl in the fifth bumped the Polars lead to 5-1.
• Lesley made some noise in the sixth as Kari Sorensen and O'Neill reached on infield singles to the left side before St. John doubled to left center to make it 5-2. Martin drove in O'Neill to bring the tying run to the plate, but Crown was able to work out of the jam and hold a 5-3 advantage heading into the final frame.
• The Lynx fought until the end as Madalynn Biagi drew a walk and Sorensen singled up the middle in the seventh, but Romportl worked out of the jam to preserve the 5-3 final for the Polars.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 1 – Crown)

• Romportl (2-5) earned the win working 7.0 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out three.
• Oakes and Underdahl finished two hits each for Crown while Sorensen and O'Neill collected two hits each for LU.
• Herbert (0-5) took the loss despite a well-pitched outing, surrendering five runs on eight hits while striking out four.  

UP NEXT

• The Lynx head home after their week in Florida and are now idle in game-action until Tuesday, March 25 when they head to Weston, Mass. to take on Regis College in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 5:00 PM.