LEESBURG, Fla. – Suffolk baseball's bats went quiet over the final four frames, which allowed Westfield State to take a 5-4 nightcap win over the Rams to split the two-game series at Pat Thomas Stadium.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Westfield State 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-2) | Westfield State (0-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The foes traded three runs in the first inning to keep. Suffolk made up the three runs that the Owls scored on two hits in the top of the first. Logan Heckman broke on the board on a wild pitch as he worked his way on around the bags on a trio of erratic throws after leading off with a base on balls. Zack Aresty's two-RBI single then tied the match. The senior brought in Rich Gilbride and Blase Cormier, who each reached on walks.
Two innings later, Aresty secured his third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to left that plated Tim Brigham. Brigham began the third frame with a single down the left field line and reached third after back-to-back walks before scoring the go-ahead run.
This time it was the Owls turn to rebuttal and they did in the top of the fourth. Westfield capitalized on an error by Rams' catcher Steven Shamnoski to know things for the second time on the day at 4-all.
Suffolk's response did not come in the home half of the inning, instead, the Owls were the next to score in their next time at the plate. Jord Garner's double down the left field line allowed Nick Martin, who singled to the opposite outfield, come in.
That run proved to be the difference as the Rams bats could not figure out Westfield's Ryan Murphy. The reliever retired the side in the fifth and sixth, respectively, to keep WSU up one, 5-4.
Ryan Garton kept the Owls' bats quiet in the top of the seventh to keep the gap at one.
The Rams looked to do what Westfield did in game one, rally in the seventh, however, Murphy continued to shove, taking down the blue-and-gold bats in order for the third consecutive frame to preserve the decision for the Owls.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Parker Browne suffered the setback after giving up five runs, four earned, on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
- Garton logged 1.2 innings of scoreless, hitless relief with a pair of walks.
- Murphy registered the victory after holding the Rams without a base runner over 4.2 innings. He had three punchouts.
- Nate Langmeier started on the rubber for the Owls and let up four runs on two hits and five walks in 2.1 innings.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Aresty provided the offense with three RBI behind one hit and one sacrifice fly. On the base paths he stole one bag.
- Brigham accounted for the Rams other hit and scored one run.
- Cormier, Gilbride and Heckman all scored for the Rams.
NOTEWORTHY
- Aresty produced back-to-back three-RBI games.
- Aresty made a career-high three RBI.
POST-GAME PIC
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is in store for a doubleheader with Fitchburg State tomorrow. Game one is scheduled to start at 1:45 p.m. at Lake Myrtle Field 6.
