Lesley falls to WNEC in ECAC Quarterfinals

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - In their first ever appearance in the Division III Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Softball Championships, the Lesley University Lynx fought hard through seven innings against Western New England College but were defeated 2-0.  Lesley finishes their 2009 campaign with a 27-14 mark which is just three wins off their record setting total in 2008.

The quarterfinal game against the Golden Bears proved to be a pitcher's duel as Lesley's Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla./Milton) and WNEC's Laura Bower (Hudson, Mass./Hudson) gave up a total of nine hits combined.  The two runs charged against Burnett were both unearned as the senior lowered her season's ERA to 2.58.  Bower impressed with five strikeouts and didn't give up a hit until the fifth inning as the senior improved to 13-5 on the season.

The Golden Bears successful got their leadoff batter on base in the first and second innings, but Lesley showed early flashes of defensive prowess as the visitors escape both innings unscathed.  Helping to keep WNEC off the base paths was Lynx senior second baseman Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) who made two spectacular plays in the field: a diving stop on a groundball nearly through the right side of the infield to get the runner at first and a leaping grap on a popup in short right field.

In the top of the fifth inning, Lesley centerfielder Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) delivered the first hit of the game for the Lynx with a single over the head of the shortstop with one out.  The Lynx, who have been aggressive on the bases all season long, took a chance and sent Spaziante out for a second base stolen base attempt but WNEC catcher Elyse Gauvin (Swansea, Mass./Joseph Case) rifled a throw right on the bag to get the runner and end the threat.

With momentum on their side, the Golden Bears executed a two-out rally to score the games only runs in the bottom half of the fifth.  Erin Griffin (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) hit a groundball to third base but the throw to first went wild and Griffin was able to advance to second base.  The next batter, Lauren Arsenault (Fitchburg, Mass./St. Bernards Central Catholic), singled to right field to put runners on first and third base.  After Arsenault stole second base, Trish Breault (Millville, Mass./Blackstone-Millville Regional) singled up the middle to score Griffin and Arsenault to put WNEC up 2-0. 

In Lesley's final at bat of the game, both Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass./Nashoba Regional) and Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass./Lynn English) were able to reach base to put runners on first and second but Bower forced a fly out to end the game and advance WNEC into the next round. 

Durben reached base twice for the Lynx, going 1-for-2 with a single and a walk. 

WNEC moves on to play #1 seed Brandeis University in the start of the double-elimination portion of the ECAC Championships starting on Saturday, May 9. 

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

2009 NEISCA Division III All-Star Teams

New England Player of the Year: Haylee Feindel - Coast Guard

First Team
Haylee Feindel, P, Coast Guard Academy
Lauren Gelmetti, P, Tufts
Michelle Wlosek, C, Springfield
Talia Berstein, 1B, Wesleyan
Melisa Cagar, 2B, Brandeis
Merry MacDonald, 3B, Endicott
Joey Lye, SS, Williams
Maya Ripecky, OF, Tufts
Allie LeBlanc, OF, Bridgewater State
Jenna Patnode, OF, Keene State
Alysia DiMuzio, DP, Curry
Katie Allenson, UT, Keene State

Second Team
Molly Rathbun, P, Eastern CT
Kelsey Tuthill, P, Emerson
Amanda Frederick, C, Coast Guard
Tricia Breault, 1B, WNEC
Amy Hartman, 2B, Western CT
Courtney Wolf, 3B, Coast Guard
Casey Sullivan, SS, Tufts
Bridget Farago, OF, Emerson
Laura Chapman, OF, Tufts
Priscilla Alicea, OF, Eastern CT
Lena Cantone, DP, Tufts
Morgan Simpson, UT, Williams

Honorable Mention
Sarah Jakiela, P, Salve Regina
Jodi Fralick, C, Lesley
Aimee Cassella, 1B, Springfield
Lauren Blake, 2B, Clark
Kristen Jackman, 3B, Curry
Jenna Lazar, SS, Endicott
Megan Wood, OF, Wellesley
Tracy Sanko, OF, Bridgewater State
Christina Farese, OF, WNEC
Stacia Staniuk, DP, Bates
Meaghan Dendy, UT, Wesleyan

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