HIGH 5 OF THE WEEK: Walker helps lead Pfeiffer offensive attack

Chandler Walker, Pfeiffer University softball

Walker (Pfeiffer athletics)


The junior centerfielder and former three-sport standout at Bristol Central is a big reason why the Falcons are flying high this season.
Walker is one of the leading hitters in the Pfeiffer lineup — second in fact — with a .369 batting average. She is tied for second on the team in homers with four, tied for third in doubles with nine, fourth in RBI with 22 and tied for fourth in runs scored with 24. Walker also has 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
In one 12-game stretch, Walker hit a blistering .513 with 11 extra-base hits. Last weekend, she had a three-run homer as Pfeiffer, ranked ninth in the country, swept Lees-McRae.
On March 18, Walker homered twice in a 7-0 win over Converse. She has had a season-high three RBI on three different occasions, including the previously mentioned game against Converse.
Pfeiffer is 31-3 (9-1 in conference play) heading into a April Fools’ Day doubleheader against Emmanuel (Georgia).

Buchas (Post athletics)

Trevor Buchas, Post University lacrosse
The senior and Bristol native scored the game-winning goal in an 8-7 win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday afternoon at LaMoy Field.
Jack Kearney came up with a steal and found Buchas, and the Xavier High School (Middletown) graduate did the rest. Buchas’ goal came with 2:04 left in overtime. Buchas is a single point away from becoming the first player in Post history to garner 100 career points. He had two goals in the win over St. Thomas Aquinas.
Buchas has a team-leading 14 goals and is tied for the lead in points with 18. He has two or more goals in five of his team’s seven games so far this season, including four against Saint Rose last Wednesday.

Cassie Ruscz, Tufts University softball

Ruscz (Tufts athletics)


The Wolcott native had a monster game against Wellesley during the Jumbos’ spring trip to Clermont, Fla.
Tufts won 12-2 last Saturday, and Ruscz unloaded with her bat. Ruscz came up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning and smacked a grand slam in what was a six-run frame for the Jumbos. Tufts got five more runs in the third, and Ruscz drove in two of them with a double. She finished the game 2-for-2 with the six RBI, plus two runs scored and a walk.
Tufts has played 14 games so far this season (9-5), and Ruscz leads the Jumbos in home runs (4), RBI (15), doubles (4) and slugging percentage (.805).
Ruscz is a graduate of Taft School in Watertown.

Mulhall (Fairfield athletics)

James Mulhall, Fairfield University rowing
This Sacred Heart graduate was part of a first place finish in the season-opening event last Saturday in Northampton, Mass.
Mulhall’s was part of the varsity eight that won the first race over UConn and the host Amherst. The varsity eight completed the event in 6:13. Fairfield went on to defeat UConn and Amherst in the day-long meet.
Mulhall is a junior from Watertown and is listed as port/starboard for his position. Fairfield is scheduled to host conference foes Manhattan and Iona on Saturday in Shelton.

Dom Mascolo, Lasell College baseball

Mascolo (Lasell athletics)


It’s early in the season, but this Holy Cross graduate is swinging a hot bat for the Lasers.
Mascolo has played in 10 of his team’s 11 games and is hitting a robust .424, which leads the team for those who have enough at bats to qualify. Mascolo also leads Lasell outright in hits (14), doubles (5), RBI (9), on-base percentage (.513) and slugging percentage (.758).
In a video game-like 24-16 loss to Old Westbury on March 14, Mascolo was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, five RBI, two runs scored and a walk.
Mascolo has had two or more hits in four games and at least one double in four games. He is a junior at Lasell.