The Suffolk University Baseball team topped Penn State Altoona 8-5 on Thursday afternoon at Pat Thomas Stadium as part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
Freshman Greg Speliotis (Salem, Mass.) was 2-for-4 with four RBI to help pace the Suffolk offense on the afternoon. Junior Drew Carter (Newburyport, Mass.) connected on his first career collegiate home run to lead off the sixth inning.
Suffolk jumped out for four runs in the top of the third inning. Junior Jon Lapolla (Providence, R.I.) drew a bases loaded walk to bring home the first run of the inning. Sophomore Matt Brenner (Eliot, Me.) would score on a wild pitch in the next at-bat, before Speliotis put Suffolk on top 4-2 with a base hit back up the middle to plate Lapolla and junior Luke Ronchi (Randolph, N.J.).
Sophomore Pat McHenry (Christiana, Pa.) evened the game at four runs in the home half of the third when he drove in a run with a double to the right center gap and would later come around to score in the inning on a wild pitch.
Both teams would trade runs in the fifth inning with sacrifice flies as Lapolla put Suffolk back ahead shortly when his fly ball to center scored Brenner.
Carter put Suffolk up for good when he connected on a solo shot to left center to put them up 6-5.
Speliotis would tack on some insurance in the seventh inning when his single to right brought in both Lapolla and Brenner.
Freshman Jake Flax (Wyckoff, N.J.) collected his first career victory on the mound for Suffolk as he went the first five. Flax allowed five runs on eight hits while striking out three.
Senior Paul Pollano (North Andover, Mass.) was strong in middle relief as he threw three scoreless innings while striking out a pair. Junior Cal Carroll (Methuen, Mass.) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first career save.
Suffolk will be back in action on Friday morning when they take on Roger Williams University in a doubleheader beginning at 9:00am.