WENHAM, Mass. – Suffolk softball forced Gordon to strand the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh as the Rams defense backed up their twirler to take a 4-3, game one, Commonwealth Coast Conference win over the Fighting Scots Tuesday afternoon.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Gordon 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-11, 2-1 CCC) | Gordon (10-13, 0-3 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
A pair of base hits and a Fighting Scots error chucked the bases for the Rams in the top of the second. Two outs later, a single by Rebecca Gonzalez brought in Ally Cifaratta, who singled, before an error by Gordon's starting pitcher Mara Little on the same play let Ella Turnbull score, to send Suffolk in front early, 2-0. 

The blue-and-gold doubled the distance in the top of the fourth. Becky Zellin and Ira Boci both singled to get on. A wild pitch and passed ball later Suffolk sat in front, 3-0. Maddie Southers collected an RBI on her single through the left side that scored Boci to stretch it to 4-0. 

Small ball played a factor in the home half of the fifth that allowed Gordon to get on the board. Suffolk minimized the damage to hold onto a 4-1 cushion.  

The Fighting Scots crept closer an inning later. A lead-off error by the Rams defense let Ami Rivera on. Gordon's infielder scooted into scoring position thanks to Jayden Johnson's single to left before she scored on Emily Graham's single down the left field line to chip Suffolk's advantage to two, 4-2.  

Suffolk put all the ducks in the pond in the top of the seventh as Lily Gustafson walked before Bella Rocha-Medeiros and Ava Brandow singled. Insurance did not come for the Rams though as Cifaratta grounded into a 523 double play and Turnbull grounded out second to bring up the Fighting Scots.  

A pair of Gordon walks sandwiched one out and Janet Maguire, but in Ashlyn Conley to close. A base hit from Isabella Rivera filled the bases before a fielder's choice allowed the Fighting Scots to pull within one. With two outs, Conley walked Johnson to load the bases again. The sophomore managed to successfully glove Gina Terrazzan's dribbler up the middle and threw over to Savannah Scripter in time for the final out of the game that locked up a crucial CCC win for Suffolk.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Rocha-Medeiros earned her first collegiate win behind a three-run (two-earned), seven-hit, three-walk effort over 6.1 innings. 
• Conley logged the save with 0.2 innings of work with just one hit and one walk allowed. 
• Little suffered the setback after letting up four runs, two earned, on six hits and two walks in 3.1 innings. 
• Graham shoved 3.2 scoreless innings with three hits and one walk allowed with the only strikeout on the day. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Zellin compiled a 2-for-3 effort with one run. 
• Gonzalez brought in one run on her one hit. 
• Brandow went 2-for 4. 
• Southers had one RBI and one hit. 
• Boci and Cifaratta each had one hit and scored once.
• Scripter supplied one hit.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk defeated Gordon for the fourth straight meeting to move to 5-1 all-time against the Fighting Scots. 
• The Rams are now 2-1 when playing as the road team in Wenham, Massachusetts. 
• The Rams remain unbeaten, 3-0, against Gordon in the Maguire era. 
• Rocha-Medeiros earned her first collegiate win in the circle. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up the double feature with Gordon this afternoon.