Raiders and Lasers split GNAC Twinbill

(Nashua, NH) On a windy night up at Raider Diamond the Rivier University Softball team split a double-header with conference foe the Lasell College Lasers. The Raiders were able to hold off a late rally to take the win in game one by a score of 6-3. In game two the Lasers got revenge as they won by a score of 4-2.

Game One: Rivier University 6, Lasell College 3

Junior Hillary Tarr (North Easton, MA) was on point in game one taking a no hitter into the final frame of the contest and leading the Raiders to victory, 6-3. She struck out eight batters in total while surrendering only five hits. Tarr added to her cause by putting the Raiders on the board first with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

The Raider offense was led by a three run bomb to straight away center field by senior catcher Marissa Mercier (North Smithfield, RI). Lead-off hitter junior Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) was 2 for 2 in the contest with an RBI, a run, and a stolen base. Junior Kirstie Clark (Brentwood, NH) drove in the other Raider run in the victory.

Lasell received six innings from starter Eileen Bergin (Arlington, MA) who struck out six while walking three and allowing seven hits. Nicole LeBlanc (Easton, MA), Denise Archetto (Cranston, RI), and Samantha Whynot (Randolph, MA) all drove in runs for the visitors. The Lasers' rallied late scoring three runs in the top of the seventh but the Raiders clinched the victory when freshman Saraha Brown gunned the ball to first.

Game Two: Lasell College 4, Rivier University 2

After the game one victory, game two proved to be the polar opposite. The Raiders' bats were silenced and the Lasers were able to capitalize on big hits to holes in the River defense.

Alison Saluti (Braintree, MA) notched the victory for the visiting Lasers as she allowed only two hits and two runs while striking out five of the 27 batters she faced. Santina Antoshak (Closter, NJ), Amanda Szidat (Westford, MA), and Eileen Bergin all had multiple hits for the Lasers and the trio combined to go 7 for 11 in the match-up with two runs and three RBIs. The lasers put up a single run in each of the first two innings as well as in the fifth and sixth.

Freshman Libby Sammon (Rockland, MA) started the game for the Raiders and was pulled in the second inning after allowing 6 hits to the first 10 batters she faced. Sammon's classmate and teammate Taylor Miller (Haverhill, MA) kept the Raiders close for the rest of the game but the Rivier offense was unable to get in a rhythm. Kirstie Clark and freshman Kristen Esposito (Shrewsbury, MA) drove in both RIvier runs. Freshman Kathryn Mostone (Pelham, NH) flashed an impressive glove at first base all afternoon in the Raiders home match-up.

With the split the Raiders overall record stands at 8-9 and they are now 5-3 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). The Raiders return to the diamond on April 5 when they will travel to Newton, MA to face GNAC foe Mount Ida. After the double-header the Lasell Lasers are now 5-12 overall and 2-5 in the GNAC. They will return to action on April 5 when they will face Emerson College at home.