FT. MYERS, Fla. – The Suffolk softball team got the jump start to its season that it was looking for, capturing wins in its first two games of the season at the Gene Cusic Classic Sunday morning. Suffolk opened its season with an 8-4 win over Kenyon and followed with a 7-1 triumph over Brockport in the second game of the day.
The Rams (2-0) did not waste any time scoring their first run of the season, as they plated a runner in the bottom of the first inning against Kenyon (6-5). Lead off hitter senior Meredith Ball drew a walk and advanced to second when Devlin Frost grounded out to the shortstop. Ball reached third on a wild pitch before Morgan Parmeter ripped a single to the left side that allowed Ball to come home for a 1-0 Suffolk lead.
Suffolk's offensive momentum surged over the next three innings and kicked off with a monstrous second with four runs coming in. Jill Pulek's bat was responsible for the two runs in the third and fourth, respectively, as the freshman bombed a homer to right center to lead off the third and brought in Ball in the fourth to mka e it a 7-0 game in favor of the Rams.
Sophomore Ali Yamakaitis was in her usual fine form, keeping the Ladies' bats at bay through the first four innings and striking out three along the way. Molly O'Connor started the Ladies fifth with a single up the middle, and was pushed ahead by Nicole Horita, who was granted a base on a walk. Amanda Coyle singled through the right side to push the runners ahead, before Madi Maldoando sacrificed a long ball to bring O'Connor home. A two-out double by Amanda Ogata brought in two more for the Ladies, who cut the deficit to 7-4.
After a scoreless fifth for Suffolk, the Rams responded in the sixth, scoring its a two-out run when Pulek doubled home classmate Karina Miranda home. Taylor Holmes took care of the rest, allowing just one run in the final inning to seal the 8-5 win for the Rams.
Holmes finished with scattering three hits, one walk and just one run over 2.1 innings. Pulek finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored.
Pitching and defense were on display in the second game of the day as sophomore Holmes rode her fielders to a 7-1 victory over Brockport (4-2). Despite a double play by the Rams, the Golden Eagles earned their lone run in the bottom of the first.
Suffolk got on the board in the third inning when Miranda scored on a passed ball. The Rams tacted on six runs in the fourth for insurance and did not let up the rest of the way.
The Rams return to action at the Gene Cuisc Classic tomorrow when they take on Edgewood at 1 p.m. and Wooster at 5 p.m.
