Nashua, NH -- The Suffolk University Baseball team grabbed their first two GNAC wins of 2009 crushing Rivier College today in a double header scoring a combined 43 runs on the day. Suffolk cruised to a 34-0 victory in Game 1, which featured 10 Rams' hit batsmen, which ties an NCAA record. Suffolk took care of business in Game 2, 9-1.
The Rams cruised in Game 1 taking advantage of a poor performance on the mound from the Raiders. Five Rivier pitchers combined to walk 18 hitters and plunk another 10, as Suffolk scored 34 earned runs. Junior Rory Gentile (Gloucester, MA) finished the game 2-5 with 6 RBI, senior Paul Vittozzi (North Reading, MA) and sophomore Jose Alejandro (Lowell, MA) each knocked in five runs, and senior Keith Carter (Newburyport, MA) finished the game 5-5, with two doubles, a triple, four RBI and six runs scored. Sophomore Alex Torres (Framingham, MA) faced little troubled in picking up the first collegiate win of his career on the mound. Torres pitched six innings fanning nine and only allowing one hit.
The Rams didn't slow down much in Game 2 of the double header as they jumped out early and rolled to a 9-1 victory.
Suffolk jumped out early in the first when Gentile drew a walk to start the game and then stole second and third base. Gentile came home to score the game's first run on a sacrifice fly by Paul Vittozzi to give the Rams the early 1-0 edge. Suffolk added three more runs in the third highlighted by a double in the left center gap by sophomore Nick Travelyn (Manchester, NH) that brought home sophomore Mark Addesa (Revere, MA). Travelyn would later score on a wild pitch, and junior Bobby Barrett (Milton, MA) had an RBI single to give the Rams a 4-0 lead.
Freshman Tim Belanger (Raynham, MA) made his first start of the season for the Rams. Belanger went the first four innings for Suffolk and managed to dodge bullets all afternoon. In all four innings Rivier managed to get the leadoff runner on base, but Belanger would bare down and get himself out of trouble. With the bases loaded and no out in the first, Belanger picked up a strikeout, followed by a double play to end the inning, and would punch out the side in the second with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out. Belanger finished with eight strikeouts in four innings to earn the first win of his career.
Tim's twin brother Dan Belanger, picked up his first collegiate college hit in game one, smoking an RBI single to left. Sophomore Eric Del Buono (Westfield, MA) also got his first career hit on the day.
Suffolk plays again on Sunday afternoon as they host Norwich University in a GNAC Double Header beginning at noon at Adams Field in Quincy, MA.
Suffolk 34, Rivier 0 (Mar 28, 2009 at Nashua, NH) (Game
1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Suffolk............. 048 13(14) 4 - 34 17
1 (10-3, 1-0)
Rivier.............. 000 000 0 - 0
1 0 (0-3, 0-1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Suffolk - Alex Torres; Kevin McAvey(7). Rivier - Zack
Durkee; Cameron Williams(3);
Tyler Eaton(4); Corey Burns(6); Pat Brooks(6).
Win-Alex Torres(1-1) Loss-Zack Durkee(0-1) T-2:30
A-75
Williams faced 3 batters in the 4th.
Suffolk 9, Rivier 1 (Mar 28, 2009 at Nashua, NH) (Game
2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Suffolk............. 130 410 0 - 9 10
0 (11-3, 2-0)
Rivier.............. 000 100 0 - 1 6
3 (0-4, 0-2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Suffolk - Tim Belanger; Pat Talbot(5); Charles
Kilgore(7). Rivier - Chris Hunt.
Win-Tim Belanger(1-0) Loss-Chris Hunt(0-1) T-2:00
A-75