Errors Cost Baseball’s 4-2 Setback in Game 1 at No. 19/24 St. Joe’s

Errors Cost Baseball’s 4-2 Setback in Game 1 at No. 19/24 St. Joe’s

STANDISH, Maine – Back-to-back closely errors by Suffolk baseball put the Rams in a two-run hole heading into the seventh inning and the blue-and-gold could dig their way out as #19/24 St. Joseph's (Maine) retired the side to take a 4-2 decision over Suffolk Saturday afternoon at Larry Mahaney Diamond. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2, #19/24 St. Joseph's (Maine) 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (17-9, 8-1 GNAC) | #19/24 St. Joseph's (Maine) (24-5, 7-0 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk struck first in the top of the first. Lead-off hitter Brady Chant singled to open the contest and moved to second and third with unassisted ground outs to the first baseman. Matt Brenner's single scored the centerfielder to put the Rams ahead early 1-0. 

Two innings later the Monks evened the score thanks to a sac fly, but the Rams righted the wrong in the top of the fourth. With one down, Greg Speliotis drew a walk, advance to second thanks to a single from Luke Ronchi and rounded the bases on Kevin Belskie's single to left field to regain an edge for the blue-and-gold 2-1. 

In the home half of the fifth the score equalized once again. Jared Gagne tripled with one out and scored on a single from 22 to lock the game at 2-all. 22 stole second and took advantage of a Rams' error to get in prime scoring position on third. Mark Fusco dealt huge back-to-back strikeouts, first looking then swinging to keep it a tied ball game. 

The Rams had a prime opportunity to go back in front once again, but the visitors stranded the bases loaded to head into the bottom of the sixth knotted with the Monks 2-2. 

St. Joe's found itself in front for the first time on the afternoon in the home half of the sixth. With two outs and a runner on sixth, pinch hitter Dan Donovan barreled a shot to centerfielder Chant, who bobbled and allowed the Monk on second to score to turn the tides in SJC's favor, 3-2. Another Suffolk mistake in the next at bat let the Monks gain a two-run advantage to send Suffolk into the final inning down 4-2.   

Looking for a comeback, pitching by Josh Partridge retired the side to seal the setback for Suffolk. 

STATISCALLY SPEAKING

  • Brenner was the only Ram to produce multiple hits at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
  • Ronchi, Seth Coiley, Belskie, Chant and Cameron all collected one hit apiece.
  • Belskie recorded one RBI with Chant and Speliotis scoring one run apiece. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

  • Fusco fell for the first time as a starting arm for Suffolk. The junior worked 6.0 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with five strikeouts.
  • Partridge picked up the win in a relief effort. The closer kept the Rams scoreless over the final two innings, giving up just one run and fanning three hitters.
  • Travis Godbout let up two runs on six hits and sat down four batters in the first 5.0 innings. 

NOTEABLE

  • Brenner extended his hit streak to six straight, bringing in 13 runs over the stretch on 15 hits. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk concludes its doubleheader at St. Joseph's (Maine).