BOSTON – Suffolk softball's bats never got going in the opener of a GNAC series with Johnson & Wales and the Wildcats took advantage to defeat the Rams, 5-1, Sunday morning at Robert Clemente Field.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Johnson & Wales 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (19-15, 9-4 GNAC) | Johnson & Wales (19-18, 10-5 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Johnson & Wales juiced the bags in the second with three base hits to set-up Megan Antaya's two-out, bases-clearing triple that put the Wildcats ahead 3-0 in the second stanza.
A three-up, three-down inning from the Rams was followed by more extra-base hit scoring for JWU in the third. This time Sierra Ali's double to left scored Ally Mishol, who led off the frame with a walk, to add to the Wildcats' cushion, 4-0.
Two innings later, Suffolk capitalized on a JWU error to bring the margin back to three. With McKenzie McGrath on first after drawing a base on balls, Samantha Jacques pushed the senior over 60 feet with a sac bunt, but an over throw by the Wildcats second baseman let the senior advance 120 more to put the blue-and-gold on the board. The Rams rally was kept there as the next to Suffolk batters were fanned, one looking and the other swinging, to end the inning.
After a scoreless sixth, Johnson & Wales added insurance in the seventh behind a Rams' error to extend their lead to 5-1.
Unlike the visitors, Suffolk was unable to take advantage of a JWU mistake that allowed Brooke Cloak to reach first in the home half of the inning as next three hitters were retired including the last two swinging to seal the setback fate.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Hannah DelCervo dipped to 5-7 on the season afte giving up five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and one walk with a pair of punchouts.
- Kristin Frost went the distance on the rubber for the Wildcats and put together a one-run, three-hit, two-walk, 12-strikeout, complete-game performance.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Ashey Zulla was responsible for two of Suffolk's three hits with the junior catcher going 2-for-3 at the plate with one double.
- Caitlin Murphy's lone hit of the day was a triple.
- McGrath scored Suffolk's only run.
NOTEWORTHY
- Prior to first pitch, the Rams honored their three graduating players: DelCervo, Jaclyn Flint and McGrath.
POST-GAME PIC
COMING UP
Suffolk concludes the two-game series with the Wildcats this afternoon.
