JWU Holds Off Baseball, 6-3, in Game 1

JWU Holds Off Baseball, 6-3, in Game 1

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Suffolk baseball team slipped to Johnson & Wales, 6-3, at Scots Miracle-Gro Complex Saturday afternoon in the opener of the GNAC doubleheader. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Johnson & Wales 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (20-11, 11-2 GNAC) | Johnson & Wales (19-16, 8-5 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk struck first in the first frame, but four runs from JWU put the Rams in a hole early. After a scoreless second, the Rams trimmed the margin, but two more Wildcats came around in the home half of the second and the blue-and-gold had to play catch-up the rest of the way. 

Another Ram came in in the fourth to make it a three-run, 6-3, game, but it stood still from there with Suffolk stranding a pair of runners in fifth and sixth, respectively. 

Suffolk's comeback never came, however, as the Wildcats retired the side in the top of the seventh.

Luke Ronchi drew a walk to lead off the seventh, but a 643-double play on Kevin Belskie's at bat put two outs on the scoreboard. Zach Grogan struck out swinging and a 23 putout at first sealed JWU's 6-3 winning fate. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

  • Sean Cameron was the lone Ram to record multiple hits in the outing as the shortstop went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
  • Ronchi, Matt Brenner, Brady Chant, Kevin Higgins and Grogan all knocked one hit on the day.
  • Chant scored twice with Brenner also crossing home for one run.
  • Ronchi, who went 1-for-1 with three walks, brought in one runner. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

  • Ryan Pordes fell for the first time this season as the junior let up six runs on nine hits. He sat down six hitters in 6.0 innings of work.
  • Brandon Budlong picked up the victory on the hill for the Wildcats with a three-run, seven-hit, eight-walk, four-strikeout day in 7.0 frames. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk concludes its regular-season GNAC schedule with the nightcap at JWU at 2:30 p.m.