Softball riding six-game conference win streak

LONGMEADOW, Mass. - Lesley holds onto the top spot in the conference sweeping Bay Path in a New England Collegiate Conference softball double header.  Both games finished with a final score of 9-1. Lesley was led by junior catcher Jodi Fralick (Woburn, Mass.) with a two-game .833 batting average (5-for-6) and four runs. Jodi Fralick chipped in her first homer on the season along with 4 RBI and two doubles for the Lynx.

Despite the two losses Bay Path junior shortstop Sarah Gates (Crown Point, Ind.) hit safely in both contests finishing the day with a .500 batting average (3-for-6).

Game One

The Lynx struck right away with lead-off senior shortstop Lani Cabral-Pini (Wilmington, Mass.) singling up the middle. Cabral-Pini scored when sophomore outfielder Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass.) nailed a double shot to center field. Jodi Fralick proceeded to bring Durben home after another shot up the middle. Fralick scored the final run in the bottom of the first after stealing third when senior third baseman Sarah Wilson singled up the middle.

Like Lesley, Bay Path did their scoring in the first inning. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, their one run would be all the crimson could muster for the opener. Senior outfielder Sarah Wright (Canterbury, N.H.) shellacked a double down the left line to start off Bay Path's lone rally. Fellow senior and third baseman Sarah Palmer (Topsham, Me.) moved Wright to third on a nicely placed sacrifice bunt outside the box.  Junior infielder Kristal Cormier (Rochester, N.H.) plated Palmer on a shot to right center.

Lesley proceeded to score another insurance run in the top of the second. Sophomore Chelsea Quackenbush (East Hampton, Conn.) scored the run on a passed ball after doubling to right center.

Lesley finished off their rally in the fourth scoring five more runs to finish the game in five due to the eight-run rule. The Lynx took advantage of some great base running and some errors by the Wildcats to insure the short game.  Senior centerfielder Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y.) along with Quackenbush, Durben, Cabral-Pini and Jodi Fralick all scored the final five runs.

Durben went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, while Jodi Fralick went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs.

Senior hurler Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) notched the win allowing only one run on three hits. Burnett (12-6) fanned six. Junior lefty Jessica Nizinski (West Springfield, Mass.) suffered the loss giving up nine runs on eleven hits. Nizinski (9-8) struck-out two and allowed one run to score on a wild pitch.

Game Two

In the nightcap, Bay Path managed to keep the scoring low for the first four innings.

Lesley struck first with Jodi Fralick slamming her first home-run of the season over the left-field fence.  In the third, the Lynx again scored one run when Cabral-Pini was plated by Saltzman.

The Lynx again took full advantage of some errors made by Bay Path in the fifth to score five runs.  With the score 7-0, Bay Path managed to grab their lone run in the bottom of the fifth.

Sophomore outfielder Katie Begin (Weare, N.H.) out hustled a throw from the short-stop for her first hit of the day. Begin stole second. Freshman catcher Kellie Lastowski (Turners Falls, Mass.) plated Begin on shot to right field.

Sophomore pinch hitter Ashley Cunningham (Mountain Top, Pa.) did her job at the plate with a sacrifice fly to center field to score senior infielder Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass.), who started the inning singling to left field.

Cabral-Pini and Jodi Fralick finished with three hits, while Cabral-Pini added three runs and Fralick had one RBI. Teammate junior first baseman Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with one run and three RBI.

Freshman pitcher Cassandra Knox (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) picked up the win only allowing one run on five hits. Knox (8-4) fanned four while walking only one batter.  Cormier (8-8) suffered the loss giving up nine runs only six earned on 13 hits. She walked two and struck out one Lynx.

Lesley advances to 21-10 overall and 13-1 in the NECC with only two games left to secure the #1 seed in the 2009 tournament. Bay Path falls to 17-16 overall and 9-5 in the NECC. Bay Path will have to win both games tomorrow against Daniel Webster to secure the #3 seed and host a semi-final round of the 2009 tournament.

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