AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Suffolk baseball could not hold off a late push by Illinois Wesleyan Saturday afternoon as the Rams dropped an 8-4 decision to the Titans at Lake Myrtle Park as part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4, Illinois Wesleyan 8
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-7) | Illinois Wesleyan (9-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois Wesleyan got on the scoreboard first with one run in the third and followed that with another in the fourth.
Two innings later, Suffolk flipped the switch, plating a trio of runs to grab a 3-2 edge. Brady Chant led off with a single and a fielder's choice two batters later during Rich Giandrea's at bat put runners in the corners. Chant came in courtesy of Seth Coiley's single and Giandrea scored on a single by Tim Brigham to tie the game at 2-2. A fielder's choice allowed Coiley to score the go-ahead run, making it a 3-2 Suffolk game.
The Titans responded with one run in the top of the seventh equalize the contest at 3-all, before gaining a 7-3 advantage in the top of the eighth.
Suffolk chipped away at the deficit with one run in the home half of the eighth on an error by the Titans third baseman, but was unable to make up any more ground as Illinois Wesleyan held them at there for the final 8-4 margin.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Suffolk starter Charles Batchelder went 5.0 innings on the bump with a two-run, five-hit, one-walk, one-strikeout outing.
- Tyler Zell took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits and one walk in 2.0 frames of action.
- Parker Browne (2R, 2H, 1B, 0.1 IP) and Anthony Riga (1R, 2H, 1BB, 1 K, 1.2 IP) each came on in relief as well.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Every Ram who recorded a hit in the outing had multiple hits to their credit.
- Coiley led the way at the dish with a 2-for-3 effort with one RBI and two runs.
- Brigham put together a 2-for-4 effort with one RBI with Blasé Cormier also going 2-for-4 at the plate.
- Chant had a pair of hits as well with Giandrea scoring one run and Trevor Lee bringing one run in.
COMING UP
Suffolk heads back to New England where it is set meet UMass Boston Saturday, March 24.