BOSTON – The Suffolk softball team grabbed an 8-0 lead early and held off a late comeback from Emmanuel to secure an 8-5 win over the Saints at Clemente Field in GNAC action Sunday afternoon.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8, Emmanuel 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-10, 1-2 GNAC) | Emmanuel (6-11, 1-2 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk shuffled through its entire line-up to open the game and brought five runs in the process all with two down. Delaney Sylvester's single to left field started the scoring rally, bringing in Devlin Frost, who singled up the middle. A ground-rule double from Lindsay Pagano plated two Rams runners before Madison Eucalitto followed with a two RBI double of her own to quickly build a 5-0 advantage for the blue-and-gold.
The Rams stretched their lead in the top of the fourth, scoring multiple runs with two outs for the second time on the day. Ashley Zulla and Frost got things going each striking a single. The freshman and junior stole third and second, respectively, and came in on a single from Jill Pulek. Sylvester brought in Frost and Pulek with a double to centerfield and made it an 8-0 Suffolk game.
Emmanuel kept Suffolk from securing the run rule as the Saints strung together back-to-back extra base hits to open the bottom of the fifth. The home team brought in three runs to trim the Rams' edge to 8-3 after five complete frames.
Suffolk was retired in order in the sixth and the Saints looked to make things more interesting in the home half of the sixth, but the Rams defense kept two runners on, ending the inning with a double play to hold onto the five-run lead.
Sydney Rogers led off the final inning with a homer and two batters later Casey Sheehan hit her own over the fence to pull within three of the Rams. Jaclyn Flint took over the circle and took down the Saints to secure the 8-5 conference triumph.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Sylvester had a day at the plate as the junior catcher went 3-for-4 with one double, two RBI and one run scored.
- Frost and Zulla joined Sylvester with multi-hit efforts each going 2-for-4. The former scored twice with the latter coming home once.
- Pulek, Pagano and Eucalitto, who all recorded one hit apiece, each registered two RBIs on the day.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Taylor Holmes earned the win with the starter allowing five runs on nine hits with two Ks.
- Flint picked up the save in the final 0.2 frames.
- Megan Kiesleback tossed the first frame, letting up five runs on five hits.
- Olivia Burgos allowed three runs on six hits with one strikeout in the final six innings.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk snapped a three-game skid against Emmanuel and moved to 40-19 all-time versus the Saints.
POST-GAME PIC
UP NEXT
Suffolk wraps up the weekend with Game 2 at Emmanuel. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
