The Suffolk University Baseball team defeated Eastern Connecticut State University by a 5-1 score on Thursday afternoon.
Freshman Tim Conroy (Arlington, Mass.) threw eight innings while scattering six hits an allowing one unearned run to pick up his third victory of the season. Fellow freshman Mark Fusco (Medford, Mass.) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to preserve the victory.
Neither team would get on the board until the top of the fourth when Suffolk plated the game's first run as they took advantage of three hit by pitches. Freshman Matt Brenner (Eliot, Me.) opened the inning off taking a breaking ball off the shoulder. Brenner would be thrown out trying to steal second base before the next two Suffolk hitters reached base on hit by pitches. Senior Devan Jones (Roslindale, Mass.) would then single through the left side to load the bases with one out. After a flyout to record the second out of the inning, senior Jake Cintolo (Wrentham, Mass.) came into score the game's first run on a wild pitch.
Suffolk would tack on two more runs in the sixth inning. Brenner would once again get things going this time doubling down the right field line. After tagging up to third on a flyout, Suffolk would draw two more hit by pitches to load things with one out. Sophomore Jon Lapolla (Providence, R.I.) would single in a run with a hard hit ground ball to short, before sophomore Rob Marks (Revere, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk to make it a 3-0 game.
The Warriors would finally get on the board in the sixth inning on a pair of Suffolk throwing errors. Senior Brendan Lynch (Wethersfield, Conn.) would start thing inning off with a base hit to left. With one out in the inning senior Adam Roderick (West Hartford, Conn.) would line out sharply to second and in trying to turn their second inning ending 4-3 double play the throw went to the backstop allowing Lynch to move up to second. After getting picked off second base the throw to third wound up past the bag allowing Lynch to come home to score.
Suffolk would answer however with runs in both the top of the seventh and the eight.
Senior Mac Jacobson (Wrentham, Mass.) would lead the seventh off with a walk before moving up on a sacrifice bunt by Brenner. Junior JC Collette (Amesbury, Mass.) would knock the run in with a two out RBI single to left to make it a 4-1 game.
Suffolk would tack on some insurance in the eight as senior Mike Muse (Milton, Mass.) came home to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of junior Justin Knight (Hackettstown, N.J.).
Jones was the lone player on either side to record a multi-hit day as he was 2-for-3 with a hit by pitch. Collette reached base twice on hit by pitches while scoring a run while going 1-for-3. Brenner also drew two walks and was a perfect 1-for-1 with a sacrifice bunt.
The loss snaps a 10-game winning streak for Eastern Connecticut State who fall to a 17-5 mark on the season. They entered the game ranked number three in New England in the most recent NEIBA Coaches' Poll and number 26 in the nation in the most recent ABCA Coaches Poll.
Suffolk improves to a 17-9-1 overall record on the year. They will be back on the diamond this Saturday as they round out their 2014 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season with a matchup against rival St. Joseph's College of Maine. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00pm at Adams Field in Quincy.