BEVERLY, Mass. – In a nine-inning outing that came down to the wire, EJ Birch secured a full-count, looking strikeout to preserve a 5-4 triumph for Suffolk baseball over Endicott in game two of a CCC doubleheader Wednesday night at North Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | Endicott 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-3, 2-2 CCC) | Endicott (4-4, 2-2 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk chased one run early as Endicott tacked one on in the bottom of the first frame. The Rams wasted little time to get it back as Zack Aresty led off the second with a single up the middle and took third behind Gino Desimone's double to left field. One out later, Aresty came in when Luke Harder singled through the right side to level the playing field at 1-all. 

The Rams found themselves trailing once again, this time by a pair of runs, 3-1, after two frames were in the books. Endicott's runs came with two outs. A Suffolk error allowed Vincent Walker to reach before Dylan Pacheco tripled to bring Walker in. On the same play, Pacheco scored as well on the throw in for the two-run margin.   

See-saw action continued and after the top of the first the blue-and-gold worked its way in front, 5-3. Singles combined with Endicott errors allowed two runs to score. With the game even at 3-3, the Gulls brought N. Cannata in from the pen. The relief arm took over with the bases chucked and a fielder's choice and another fielding mishap from the hosts allowed the Rams to secure a 5-3 advantage. 

From there both team's cycle through pitchers and things stayed the same until the bottom of the seventh. Jake Washock walked Michael Bonnollo, which set up Joseph Millar's RBI triple two batters later the trimmed Suffolk's lead to one. Washock gave the next batter a base on base and that was the end of his day as Anthony Del Prete replaced him with Robert Shaw.  

Shaw had a huge pick off, catching Caleb Shpur with too big of a lead for the second out of the inning. The southpaw hit his first and only batter he faced as Rich Giandrea took his spot on the rubber. Giandrea allowed a base runner on a walk, before he locked up the final out of the frame with a ground out to himself to keep the Rams in front, 5-4.  

Suffolk found itself in hot water in the home half of the eighth. Free bases and a sac put Gulls on first and second before the first pitching chance was made. Michael James Jr. came in to tossed, but walked his first batter, to be replaced quickly by CJ Barrett. Barrett had composure with the bases full and the game on the line as he fanned Shpur swinging to hold the 5-4 edge for the blue-and-gold.  

The Rams looked for insurance in the ninth, but could not find any.  

Insurance would have been nice as Birch found himself in a position with runners in the corners and two outs on the board. With the tying run waiting on third and the winning run waiting at first during Bradly Baldinger drew out his at bat to a full count. Birch fired in a pitch that fanned past Baldinger, who watched it hit Steven Shamnoski's glove, to go down looking for the final out of the day.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Caleb Piwnicki earned the decision for Suffolk behind 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. The sophomore gave up one hit and two walks and fanned a pair of hitters. 
• Shawn Nosky started for Suffolk. He let up three runs, one earned, on four hits with one K in 2.0 innings of action. 
• Birch registered the save with 1.0 inning of scoreless relief with one hit and one walk to go with a crucial, game-ending strikeout. 
• Barrett, Giandrea, James, Shaw and Washock also came out of the pen for the Rams. 
• Endicott starter Max Tarlin took the loss after letting up five runs, four earned, on seven hits and two walks and three strikeouts in 2.1 innings. 
• Four other arms saw action for the Gulls in Nichoals Cannata, Ian Parent, Gabe Van Emon and Rian Schwede.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brigham had one fourth of Suffolk's eight hits as the graduate student went 2-for-4 with one run scored. 
• Desimone chipped in one hit, a double, one RBI and one run scored. 
• Harder brought in two runs and added one hit. 
• Aresty, Cormier, and Seariac each provided one hit and one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk swept Endicott for the first time in a doubleheader in the all-time series. 
• The Rams moved to 13-17 all-time against the Gulls. 
• The back-to-back wins over Endicott are the first for Suffolk since defeating the Gulls 7-4 April 28, 2018 and 3-2 May 11, 2018. 
• In Beverly, Suffolk moved to 11-14 against Endicott. 
• In the Del Prete era Suffolk is now 6-8 versus the Gulls. 
• Nosky made his first collegiate start. 
• Birch secured his second collegiate save in as many games. 
• Harder matched a career-high two RBI. 
• Desimone hit a double for the second time in a Suffolk uniform.   

POST-GAME PIC
  

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk is set for a CCC home-and-home with Wentworth this weekend. The Rams will host the Leopards Saturday, April 10 at East Boston Memorial Park before traveling to Libbey Field in Weymouth, Massachusetts Sunday, April 11. Both days have a 12 p.m. first pitch.