FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Lesley University softball team kicked off their 2008 season in Fort Myers, FL with a double-header against Renssselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Pine Manor College. The Lynx were able to jump to early 2-0 leads, but ultimately lost both games to fall to 0-2 in the early season.
Game One vs. RPI
In the top of the 3rd inning, junior centerfielder Gianna Spaziante (Hawthorne, N.Y.) led off the frame with a single to left field. Spaziante followed up her first hit of the season with her first stolen base as she beat the shortstop's tag into 2nd base. After a Lani Cabral-Pini (Wilmington, Mass.) walk, catcher Jodi Fralick (Woburn, Mass.) roped a single to center scoring Spaziante to give Lesley the 1-0 lead. After the next batter struck out, Cabral-Pini scored on a passed ball to extend the Lynx lead to 2-0.
After three infield singles loaded the bases in the bottom of the 4th inning, the Red Hawks were able to get seven runs in the inning to overtake the lead. Lesley walked in a run, had an error by the first baseman, gave up another infield hit, and a line drive over the left fielder's head cleared the bases to account for the runs.
The Red Hawks added another run in the bottom of the 5th inning to finish off the scoring and the Lynx lost their first contest of the 2008 season 8-2.
Game Two vs. Pine Manor College
Just like the first game, Lesley jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the 1st inning after senior Courtnie Leakeas (Lowell, Mass.), Fralick, and Sarah Wilson (Lowell, Mass.) all reached base. Freshman outfielder Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass.) hit a pop up to the second baseman who misplayed the ball leading to two runs for the Lynx. It would be the only runs Lesley would score in the game.
A double by Pine Manor College's Krissy Travers (Freeport, N.Y.) brought in two runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to the tie the game up.
Ashley Cunningham (Mountain Top, Pa.) tripled to lead off the top of the 6th inning, giving the Lynx a great opportunity to regain the lead. Unfortunately, the freshman was stranded at 3rd base, leaving the game knotted up at two runs for each team.
In the bottom half of the inning, Pine Manor's Courtney Wallace (Steep Falls, Me.) rocked a homerun to the gap in deep left center and gave the Gators all the runs they would need to get a win over Lesley. The game ended with PMC winning 4-2.
"Going into our first games of the season we knew that we were going to be nervous," commented Head Coach Jen Benway. "Now that we've got these games under our belt, we can focus on playing the way I know we can play. Our tough spring schedule will only give us the preparation we need to be a force in the North Atlantic Conference this year."
The Lynx will be back in action Monday March 10 as they take on Olivet College (5 p.m.) and North Park University (7 p.m.) at the Lee Sports Complex in Fort Myers.
To learn more about the Lesley University softball team, please visit their website.