EAST BOSTON – The Suffolk baseball team struck early and often to run past Rivier, 10-3, in the nightcap of a GNAC double feature Sunday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 10, Rivier 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (17-15, 101-1 GNAC) | Rivier (5-22, 0-10 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPANED
Suffolk batted through the order and faced two different pitchers in the first frame where the blue-and-gold went ahead 7-0. A single to center field brought in Brady Chant, who opened the game with a double, opened the scoring before Blasé Cormier cleared the bases on a double to left field. Tim Brigham also emptied the bags as the sophomore sent a dinger over the left center fence to bring in Cormier. Four batters and a pitching change later, Lee hit a base hit in his second at bat of the stanza to score Gilbride, who sent a single up the middle, for the seven-run margin after one full frame.
Another pair of Rams runners came around an inning later as Chant brought in Brigham and Andrew Ashworth, who each singled, to push Suffolk's advantage to 9-0.
Rivier got on the board with one run in the fourth and Suffolk responded in the bottom of the fifth with a bases loaded fielder's choice turning it into a 10-1 contest in the Rams' favor.
The Raiders added two more runs in the seventh, but had too much ground to make up as Suffolk held off the comeback to take the game, 10-3, and the series.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Charles Batchelder had a one-run, five-hit, two-walk, four-strikeout day on the hill for the Rams through 4.0 innings.
- Jake Flax picked up a save behind a two-run, two-hit, one-walk, five K relief performance in 3.0 innings.
- Five different hurlers threw for the Raiders with starter James Magno recording the decision after allowing seven runs on five hits and two walks over just the first 2/3 of action.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Brigham, Chant and Lee all had two-hit days.
- Chant's two hits were both doubles as the senior centerfielder tallied two RBI and one run.
- Lee doubled once, brought in one run and scored two himself.
- Brigham also had an extra bae hit to his credit, a homer, for two RBI and two runs scored.
- Cormier plated three runs all off his lone hit, a double.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk swept Rivier for the second straight season and improved to 37-5 all-time versus the Raiders.
- Chant matched a season-high two doubles.
- Cormier recorded a career-high three RBI.
- Brigham hit the second jack of his career.
- Flax earned his first save of the season, second of his career.
POST-GAME PIC
COMING UP
Suffolk takes one day off before it steps out of conference contests for a Tuesday, April 24 tilt at Tufts. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
