BOSTON – After a tough loss to open the day, the Suffolk baseball team was able to bounce back with a 4-1 victory in Game two to force a split with Albertus Magnus in the final regular season game of the 2016 season at Rochford Field Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE | SUFFOLK 3 ALBERTUS MAGNUS 4
The Falcons (13-20, 6-8 GNAC) literally walked off a run in the bottom of the seventh to claim the 4-3 victory. With the score deadlocked at 3-all, Suffolk's (30-10, 11-3 GNAC) senior closer Cal Carroll walked Ted Gravel with the bases loaded to give Albertus Magnus the go-ahead, winning run.
Suffolk opened the scoring in the top of the second with a RBI double from Kevin Belskie that scored Seth Coiley, who knocked a double of his own. The Rams put their second run on the board in the third thanks to a base hit from Drew Carter that plated Rob Marks, who reached on a fielder's choice.
Albertus Magnus leveled the playing field in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back RBI doubles, but Suffolk had an answer in the fourth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Marks wore Dan Zarniks's pitch to score Coiley and put the Rams' back in front, 3-2.
For the first time in three innings the Falcons kept the Rams' quiet and put their own run on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Tyriq Harris came in on Mike Saia's two-out single to tie the score at 3-3.
Both teams were retired in order in the sixth and Sean Cameron was the lone Ram to get on in the seventh. The junior's lead-off walk was followed by three straight ground outs to end the inning. Carroll took over the bump for Worth Walrod, who threw 6.0 innings, gave up three runs on four hits and struck out six. With one out on the board, Carroll walked Harris and Robertson, before Poirer singled to load the bases. The Rams' made the play at home for the second out of the inning, but the bases remained loaded and Carroll's third walk of the day ended Suffolk's win streak and sealed the 4-3 win for the Falcons.
GAME 2 | SUFFOLK 4 ALBERTUS MAGNUS 1
Suffolk wasted no time righting the wrong of the opener in the first inning of the closer as Belskie sent a solo, two-out homer over the center field fence to put the Rams' on the scoreboard.
The Falcons knotted the score in the bottom of the second, but it would be the lone run the hosts would score as the Rams' held them the rest of the way.
After a quiet third on either side, Jake Frasca's sacrificed himself with score Belskie and give Suffolk a 2-1 lead. The Rams' stretched their advantage to two runs in the top of the fifth. Matt Brenner capitalized on an error by the Falcons' second baseman, before Belskie's triple plated Coiley for the 4-1 final.
Belskie's 3-for-3, two-RBI, two-run effort at the plate paced Suffolk's offense in Game 2. Kevin Sinatra earned the win on the hill with the freshman from East Boston worked 6.0 innings, allowing one run on seven hits and fanned three. Frasca picked up the save with 1.0 inning of work, one hit and two Ks.
Suffolk, who is the second-seed in the GNAC tournament, will host the winner of No. 6 Rivier vs. No. 3 Lasell Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m. at East Boston Memorial Park.