MMA loses two to Lesley

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In a North Atlantic Conference double-header match up with Maine Maritime Academy, the Lesley University softball team swept the Mariners in both games to move to 6-0 in the conference.  Lesley won the games 8-0 and 9-4.  With the victories Lesley improved to 12-6 (6-0 NAC) while Maine Maritime Academy dropped their record to 6-6 (4-6 NAC).

The first game saw Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) pitch a no-hitter into the fifth inning and earned her fifth victory of the season.  The junior dropped her season ERA to 0.87 by giving up just one hit and striking out five batters in the shutout.

The Lynx offense was held in check for the first five innings by Mariners pitcher Amanda Barker (Waterville, Me.) who gave up four hits in those five innings.  The only run came off an RBI single from Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass.) whose single drove in Courtnie Leakeas (Lowell, Mass.).

In the sixth inning, the Lynx exploded for seven runs to put the Mariners away.  Lesley got seven consecutive singles in the inning to keep the rally alive.  Leakeas ended up with two hits in the game with two runs scored and one run batted in.  Jodi Fralick (Woburn, Mass.), Alicia Pari (No. Providence, R.I.) and DiGiorgio all had two hits a piece.

Maine Maritime tied up the game in the fifth inning after Burnett had come on in relief of Amy Breen (Holbrook, Mass.).  Danielle Richard (Milford, Me.) tripled to deep left field after Brittany Hunt (Hickory, N.C.) had started off the inning with a single to make the score 4-2.  With Richard still at third base, Sam Rheaume (Andover, N.H.) singled to left center to drive home another run.

The Mariners would score another run on an infield groundball.  With one out and a runner on third, Nicole Poland (Damariscotta, Me.) attempted to hit a sacrifice fly to left field but Lesley’s Leakeas made the play and gunned the runner out at home to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Lynx would score five runs to take the 9-4 lead.  Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass.) crushed a triple to left field that would drive in two runs.  DiGiorgio would continue her already productive day by driving in another runner with a single to left.

On the game, Fralick led the Lynx with three hits with two RBI and one run scored.  Burnett, despite giving up the lead, would earn her sixth victory of the season.

Lesley will be in action against Husson College on Sunday at home starting at noon.  Maine Maritime will take on Bay Path College at noon Sunday as well.