KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Suffolk softball entered the win column for the first time in 2024 as a quartet of Rams had multiple hits to take down Mitchell, 9-3, Saturday afternoon at Fortune Road at the Spring Games.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 9 | Mitchell 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-3) | Mitchell (0-2)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. With two outs Lily Gustafson knocked a single up the middle and advanced Ava Brandow, who reached on a fielder's choice, to second. An error on Becky Zellin's at bat allowed both Brandow and Gustafson to score to give the Rams the early edge.  

Two innings later, Quintana sent a bases loaded base hit to center to plate Bradow and Gustafson. The junior and senior started the innings with back-to-back base hits. Catherine Carignan collected a pair of RBIs on her single to center to extend the blue-and-gold's advantage to 6-0.  

Mitchell sliced the margin in half in the home half of the fourth on three hits and one error.   

More offensive output came off Suffolk's bats in the sixth. Quitana had two ducks in the pond after Zellin reached safely on a fielding mishap and Maddi Southers walked. The Rams third baseman barreled a double to left field to bring in two runs and force the Mariners to make a change in the circle. Quintana moved to third thanks to Carignan's single to left before scoring on Julia Mills's single to center to stretch the cushion to 9-3.  

Lily Newhall, who took over for Cynthia Rucinski for the final out of the fourth, retired the side in the sixth and seventh, respectively, to lock up the Rams first victory of the season.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall picked up the decision after twirling 3.1 scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and four punchouts. 
• Cynthia Rucinski put together a three-run, two earned, four-hit, one-walk, five strikeout effort over the first 3.2 innings. 
• Emily Reynolds took the loss for Mitchell. She allowed nine runs, six earned, on nine hits and three walks with one strikeout. 
• Hailey Hill fired 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. She gave up just two hits and had one punchout to her credit.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Quintana brought in four runs on a 2-for-4 plate performance and scored one run herself. The junior had one double. 
• Carignan contributed a 3-for-4 showing at the dish with a pair of RBI. 
• Mills went 2-for-4 as well with one RBI. 
• Gustafson compiled a 2-for-4 effort with two runs scored. 
• Brandow scored two runs and had one hit. 
• Southers tallied two runs scored and two walks.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met Mitchell for the second time in program history, first since 2014. 
• The Rams are 2-0 all-time against the Mariners. 
• Both games between Suffolk and Mitchell have taken place on a neutral diamond and in the Sunshine State.
• The Ram have poured in six-plus runs versus Mitchell in both contests in the series. 
• The nine runs scored against the Mariners is the most in a single game in the all-time series.
• Suffolk picked up its first win in the Megan Cook era. 
• Quintana brought in a career-high four RBI. 
• Quintana has had back-to-back two-hit games. 
• Carignan matched a career-high three hits and two RBI. 
• Carignan has successfully hit in all four of Suffolk's games this season. She is on a five-game hit streak that dates back to May 10, 2023. In that span she has seven hits. 
• Gustafson tied a career-high two runs scored. 
• Southers drew two walks for the second-time in her collegiate career, tying a personal-best. 
• Hubner has scored one run as a pinch runner in all four of Suffolk's games this season. 
• Newhall earned her first victory in the circle.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is in store for day three of its Spring Training trip with Mount St. Mary's and Haverford on the schedule tomorrow, Sunday, March 10 at 4:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively.