CLERMONT, Fla. – Taylor Holmes dealt a complete, five-hit, one-run game to be the backbone of Suffolk softball's 5-1 victory over Bethany Wednesday afternoon at Hancock Park at The Spring Games.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5, Bethany 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-4) | Bethany (4-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk stranded a pair of runners in the first before getting on the scoreboard in the second. The rally started with two outs and a single from McKenzie McGrath. Grace Boehler followed suit with a single of her own before Sydney Littlefield drew a walk to put all the ducks in the pond. Payton Sylvester plated a pair of runs on a deep single to give Suffolk an early 2-0 edge.
The Rams added another two runs an inning later. Jaclyn Flint led off with a single and advanced to second on an error by the Bison's centerfielder during Delaney Sylvester's at bat. The Rams' runners advanced on a wild pitch before a sac bunt by Zulla allowed Flint to cross home. McGrath turned it into a 4-0 Suffolk game two batters later as the junior third basemen knocked a single through the left side to plate Sylvester for her second RBI on the day.
Suffolk's final run of the day came off the bat of Delaney Sylvester as she brought her classmate Devlin Frost in on a single to left field. Frost reached on an error by Bethany's first baseman advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a throw during Flint's at bat.
With a fresh set of arms scattered throughout the field, a Suffolk error to lead off the top of the seventh inning, the Bison were able to take advantage and erase the shutout. The Rams held them at one run though to take the contest, 5-1.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Holmes went the distance to improve to 1-0 on the season. In her first start of 2018, she tossed a one-run, five-hit, one-walk, three-strikeout complete-game.
- Sam Binkley fell as the starter gave up five runs (two earned) on 11 hits and two walks. She fanned six Suffolk hitters.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- McGrath went 3-for-3 at the dish with one RBI and one run scored.
- Payton Sylvester and Boehler each 2-for-3 at the plate. The former contributed a pair of RBI, while the latter scored one run for the Rams.
- Littlefield (1-2), Frost (1-3, 1R), Flint (1-4, 1R) and Delaney Sylvester (1-4, 1R) all chipped in hits.
- Delaney Sylvester and Ashley Zulla rounded out Rams with RBI win one apiece.
NOTEWORTHY
- Holmes' first win of the season came in complete-game fashion.
- The complete-game is the 18th of the senior twirler's career and second for Suffolk in 2018.
- McGrath's three hits mark a season-best for the junior.
- Boehler produced her first multi-hit collegiate games with a pair of hits to go along with her first collegiate run.
- Payton Sylvester's personal-best two RBI were thanks to her third multi-hit contest.
POST-GAME PIC
ON DECK
Suffolk wraps up its Spring Break trip tomorrow, Thursday, March 15 as it takes on Gordon (9 a.m.) and Anderson (1:30 a.m.) at Legends Way.
