BOSTON – Suffolk softball rallied behind a six-run second inning to take down the University of New England, 7-4, Sunday morning at Legends Way as part of The Spring Games.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk, 7 | UNE, 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-1) | UNE (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ashley Zulla, who opened the second stanza with a double to left, moved over on a wild pitch before all the ducks landed in the pond with a walk by Madison Eucalitto and a single by McKenzie McGrath. Sydney Littlefield's single to left brought in the Rams' first run and Payton Sylvester scored the second with a single of her own. A wild pitch during Devlin Frost's at bat allowed McGrath to cross home and Frost cleared the bases with a two-run double to center to give the Rams a six-run cushion. Jaclyn Flint got in on the RBI action with a single through the right side to give Suffolk a six-run cushion.
The Nor'Easters put up one run in the third and fourth, respectively, before the Rams responded with a run of their own in the fifth. Suffolk started things off with a double for the second time on the day as Delaney Sylvester rocked a hit for two bags to center. Zulla wore a pitch and Keane drew a freebie to chuck the bags. Pinch hitter Samantha Jacques' 63 ground out plated Hailey Cockroft, who replaced Delaney Sylvester on the bases, to make it a 7-2 Suffolk game heading into the top of the sixth.
Hannah DelCervo came into the circle as relief and UNE took advantage of the fresh arm. With two down, the Nor'Easters sandwiched triples around a hit by pitch to make things interesting as a pair of runs came in on the latter three-base hit. DelCervo fanned sixth batter of the day for the final out of the inning and keep the Rams ahead, 7-4 after 5.5 innings.
The sophomore twirler sealed up the win as she retired the side in the top of the seventh, including back-to-back strikeouts swinging, for the final two outs of the day.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Constance Phelan picked up the win as the freshman threw a two-run, six-hit, three-strikeout outing in 5.0 frames.
- DelCervo put together a two-run, two-hit, three-K relief effort.
- Sydnee Bessler wore the loss as the Nor' Easters starter allowed seven runs on nine hits and three walks through 5.0 frames. She sat down four hitters in the setback.
- Sarah Lachapelle worked 1.0 innings of relief.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Payton Sylvester and Flint each had multi-hit contests with two hits apiece. Payton Sylvester recorded one RBI, one run and walked once. Flint, meanwhile, had one RBI to her credit.
- Frost tallied one double for two RBI and added one run.
- Littlefield (1-4), Delaney Sylvester (1-3) and Zulla (1-3) each had one hit apiece. Littlefield also contributed one RBI and one run with Zulla pitching in one run as well.
- Cockroft and Eucalitto rounded out the Rams' run scorers with one each.
NOTEWORTHY
- Phelan made her collegiate debut in the circle.
- DelCervo had a career-high three Ks.
- Payton Sylvester knocked her first collegiate double.
- Zulla has registered at least one double in two of Suffolk's three games.
POST-GAME PIC
COMING UP
Suffolk concludes day two action of The Spring Games versus No. 7 Amherst.
