Softball Looks to Escape Elimination Against Simmons Friday

FRIDAY, MAY 3 // 5:30 PM  DALY FIELD BOSTON, MASS.
EYES ON THE GAME // LIVE STATS SERIES RECORD // SUFFOLK LEADS 29-20 LAST MEETING // APRIL 29, 2019 LAST SUFFOLK WIN // SAME STREAK // W6

BOSTON – After playing in one of the longest games in program history, Suffolk softball, the North Division's second seed, looks to keep its season going tonight when it takes on the South Division's top seed and 2019 GNAC Softball Tournament host Simmons in an elimination outing Friday, May 3 at Daly Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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2019 GNAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

First Round – Tuesday, April 30 – Single Elimination
North Play-In: #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) defeated #4N Norwich, 9-4 – Box Score
South Play-In:  #3S Johnson & Wales defeated #4S Albertus Magnus, 2-0 – Box Score 

Second-Round – Thursday, May 2 – Double Elimination
Game 1: #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) defeated #2Suffolk, 6-4 (11) at Emmanuel – Box Score
Game 2: #2S Saint Joseph (Conn.) defeated #3S Johnson & Wales, 3-2 – Box Score
Game 3: #1N Emmanuel defeated #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine), 4-2 - Box Score
Game 4: #2S Saint Joseph (Conn.) defeated #1S Simmons, 5-1 – Box Score

Elimination Games – Friday, May 3 – Daly Field – Boston, Mass.
Game 5: #1S Simmons vs. #2N Suffolk – 5:00 p.m. – Live Stats 
Game 6: #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) vs. #3S Johnson & Wales – 7:00 p.m. – Live Stats 

Quarterfinals / Semifinals / Championship - Saturday, May 4 – Daly Field – Boston, Mass.
Game 7: #1N Emmanuel vs. #2s Saint Joseph (Conn.) – 10:00 a.m. – Live Stats
Game 8: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 – 12:30 p.m. (Elimination Game)
Game 9: Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7 – 3:00 p.m. (Elimination Game)
Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 – 5:30 p.m. 

Championship – Sunday, May 5 – Daly Field – Boston, Mass.
Game 11: If Necessary – 11:00 a.m.

LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk softball matched the most innings played in its 34-year history, but the second seed of the North Division could not hold off the side's third seed Saint Joseph's (Maine), who racked up three in the 11th to defeat the Rams, 6-4, in the second-round of the 2019 GNAC Softball Tournament Thursday night at Roberto Clemente Field.

MORE READING: Softball Ties Longest Game in Program History, Falls in GNAC Second-Round to St. Joseph's (Maine), 6-4

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk dipped to 21-17 on the year after falling in a marathon, 11-inning, second-round game to Saint Joseph's (Maine). 

The Rams will look to their bats to pick up the pace today and keep them in the action moving forward. Suffolk's 1-5 hitters have each produce over 37 hits anchored by its lead off, Caitlin Murphy, and clean-up, Jaclyn Flint, who each own 47 hits to their credit. Murphy is batting a team-high .423 with a squad-best 32 runs scored and 23 stolen bases, while Flint has brought in 27 runs and scored 23. Ashley Zulla has matched Flint's RBI output with 27 of her own off 37 hits to go with 18 runs. Grace Boehler (39 H, 20 RBI, 24 R) and Kelly Keane (37 H, 23 RBI, 13 R) complete the top five hitters for the blue-and-gold.

In the circle, Suffolk shifts through a three-arm rotation paced by rookie Kennedy Reyes (75.1 IP, 3.53 ERA, 40 K) with Hannah DelCervo (80.0 IP, 4.02 ERA, 51 K) and Constance Phelan (71.0 IP, 4.73 ERA, 40 K) getting a bulk of time on the rubber as well.

SUFFOLK IN THE GNAC TOURNEY

• Suffolk appears in the conference tournament bracket for the eighth straight season and 20th time overall.
• The Rams avoided the play-in portion for the eighth consecutive campaign and look to raise the conference trophy for the first time since the inaugural champion was crowned in 1996.
• Suffolk will look to bounce back from the loser's bracket for the first time since 2017, when they blue-and-gold did just that and made it to the championship series.

SHARKS SAYINGS
Simmons grabbed the top seed on the GNAC's South Side with a 13-3 league ledger. The first-seeded Sharks slipped into the elimination contest after falling to the second seed of the South Division, 5-1, Thursday night in the quarterfinals. 

Lauren Del Vacchio is the top hitter for the Sharks as the junior's 54 hits have come off a .429 average and brought in 28 runs, while she has scored 37 herself. Ivy Vann, who is hitting .316, and Marissa Santoro, who is batting .310, have each eclipsed the 40-hit mark as well with 42 and 40, respectively. 

Maddie Castigliego looks to be Simmons ace in the circle. The freshman pitcher has worked 120.2 innings on the rubber in which she put together a 3.42 ERA with 63 strikeouts. Hailey Yabroduy is the Sharks second arm. The sophomore holds a 3.86 ERA with 35 Ks over 103.1 innings of work.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Rams and Sharks will meet for the first time in 2019.
• In 2018, Suffolk swept Simmons for the third consecutive year to extend its win streak versus the Sharks to six and improve to 29-20 all-time.

SUFFOLK VS. SIMMONS IN THE GNAC TOURNEY

• Suffolk and Simmons will meet for the sixth time in the GNAC Tournament.
• The Rams trail the Sharks in the league's postseason, 2-3.
• Simmons has picked up the last three playoff games versus Suffolk including the last meeting in the 2014 semifinals, 6-1.
• Both of Suffolk's tournament victories over the Sharks came in shutout fashion – 3-0 in 2005 and 5-0 a year later.

EYES ON THE GAME
 

WHAT'S TO COME?
The winner of Friday night's tilt remains in the game and will continue to play do-or-die action Saturday, May 4 at 12 p.m. against the victor of the elimination contest featuring the third seeds of the North and South Divisions, respectively, Saint Joseph's (Maine) and Johnson & Wales.