BOSTON – The Suffolk baseball team wrapped up a GNAC doubleheader sweep with a 4-3 victory over Albertus Magnus under the lights at East Boston Memorial Park Thursday night.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4, Albertus Magnus 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (13-7, 6-0 GNAC) | Albertus Magnus (8-14, 3-3 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the nightcap, the Rams got to work early as Suffolk collected one run in the second. With two down, Luke Ronchi kept the blue-and-gold alive, drawing a base on balls. The senior right fielder sniped second and turned on his wheels on a Kevin Belskie through the right side to put the Rams on the scoreboard.
An inning later Suffolk tacked on a pair of runs to go up by three. An error by Albertus Magnus' pitched placed Kevin Higgins on first and a deep triple off Brady Chant's barrel brought in the runner. The Rams kept the runs going, plating their second with two outs as Greg Speliotis line drive up the middle scored Chant to give the blue-and-gold a 3-0 cushion after three.
It was a new game in the fifth thanks to three Falcons run that equalized the playing field at 3-all. The locked game was shortlived as the Rams responded with the top of the order in the home half of the frame. Chant led off with a single to center field. The junior stole second to set up Sean Cameron's go-ahead RBI single that put the Rams ahead 4-3.
Suffolk's defense backed up Tim Conroy in the top of the sixth to keep the tying run on the bags and hold the one-run edge.
After a three-up, three-down inning from the Rams, Chuck Gibson came out of the pen and retired the side to seal up the conference triumph for Suffolk.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Lead-off hitter Chant led the way for Suffolk as the centerfield was the only player to rake multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a triple for one RBI and two runs scored.
- Cameron (1-3), Coiley (1-2), Speliotis (1-3), Belskie (1-2) and Tirone (1-3) all knocked one hit in the win with Cameron, Speliotis and Belskie each bringing in one run apiece.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Conry dealt 6.0 innings to pick up the win. The senior southpaw improved to 2-1 on the season after giving up three runs (one earned) on four hits with five strikeouts and five walks.
- Gibson worked the final frame on the hill for Suffolk to earn the save with no hits or runs allowed.
- Adam Olszyk was handed his first defeat of the season. The starter allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits, fanning two batters and walking a pair in 5.0 frames.
- Jon Criscio came on in relief for Albertus Magnus.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk begins GNAC action 6-0 for the first-time under Anthony Del Prete and takes its best conference start since rattling off nine straight league wins in 2014.
- Conroy matched a career high five strikeouts.
- The Rams swept the Falcons for the first time since 2015 and second time under Del Prete.
POST-GAME PIC
COMING UP
Suffolk welcomes Anna Maria to East Boston Memorial Park Saturday, April 15 for a two-game GNAC series. Game one is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
