Boston, MA - For the twelveth consecutive season Suffolk University baseball has eclipsed 20 wins as the Rams (21-4, 9-1 GNAC) swept a double header from Albertus Magnus today. The Rams got a solid pitching performance in game one from senior Dan Delia (6-0) for a 10-1 game one victory, and used a nine run, 4th inning to take game two, 12-6.
Game 1
Senior Dan Delia (Boston, MA) allowed five hits over seven innings of work to push his season record to 6-0 as the Rams cruised to a 10-1 victory in game one of today's GNAC double header. Delia struck out five Falcons hitters, without yielding a walk and used his strong defense yielding 12 ground ball outs.
Suffolk wasted no time in getting the scoring started, as senior Paul Vittozzi (North Reading, MA) crushed a letter high fastball deep into right center for a home run to get the Rams on the board. Junior Bobby Barrett (Milton, MA) followed up with a double, and came around to score as senior Keith Carter (Newburyport, MA) singled up the middle to drive him in. Sophomore Mark Addesa (Revere, MA) drove in another runner with a single later in the inning to give the Rams the 3-0 edge after an inning of play.
The Rams would add a run in both the second and third innings. After junior Rory Gentile (Gloucester, MA) led the bottom of the second off with a triple. Gentile came around to score on a double steal as he took home and Vittozzi took second. The Rams run in the third came when Bobby Barrett took a pitch off the elbow with the bases loaded to force in a run.
Suffolk would tack on four more runs in the bottom half of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run single by sophomore Jon Handy (South Burlington, VT). Senior Mike Kenneally (Georgetown, MA) also chipped in with an RBI single.
Addesa and Gentile each finished game one with three hits as the Rams pounded out 15 hits in the game.
Game 2
Trailing 4-0 going into the fourth inning, the Rams exploded for nine runs on nine hits in the inning to help propel them to a 12-6 game two victory.
The Rams started the inning as their first five hitters all reached base. Carter walked to lead the inning off, before Jon Handy followed him with a single, and Addesa knocked in Carter with a single. Sophomore Nick Travelyn (Manchester, NH) then laced a single down the left field line plating Handy as the Rams began to put on the pressure. Mike Kenneally would follow that up by hitting a deep line drive into the right center gap clearing the bases as he legged out his first triple of the season. Vittozzi, Barrett and Carter would all keep the inning going knocking in runners with singles before Jon Handy singled for the second time in the inning knocking in a pair. Suffolk would send 14 batters to the plate in the inning, driving the ball all over the field with nine hits.
Suffolk fell behind early as the Falcons tagged Rams' starter Reid Jackson (Burlington, MA) for three runs in the second and another in the third. Freshman Malcom Mendez (Bronx, NY) got Albertus on the board with an RBI double. Senior Robert Boscarino (Windsor Locks, CT) and freshman Ray Thayer (Meriden, CT) each added RBI singles to make it 3-0. Sophomore Robert Bengivengo (Oxford, CT) then added an RBI single in the third to push the lead to 4-0.
Albertus would not go quietly however as they added two more runs in the fifth. Senior Chris Noske (South Windsor, CT) led the inning off with a single and then junior Erik Suraci (West Haven, CT) would double to put runners in scoring position with nobody out. Albertus starting pitcher Peter Rogan (Middletown, CT) helped his own cause by knocking in a run as he grounded out to second, and the Bengivengo knocked in his second run of the game singling into right.
Jackson however would buckle down as the game went deeper. The senior southpaw retired the next five hitters he would face after Albertus scored before allowing a single. Jackson then started a double play to end the game as he fed a comebacker to shortstop Mark Addesa to start the 1-6-3 double play. It would be the second double play Jackson and Addesa turned in the win.
Senior Anthony Iacopucci (Medford, MA) doubled in the sixth and would later come around to score. Addesa added three more hits in game two, while Barrett added three. Gentile reached base in all four plate appearances in the night cap, as he had an RBI single, and a double and also drew two walks. Kenneally picked up three more RBI as the senior continues to swing a hot bat, while the Rams matched their game one total with 15 hits in game two.
The Rams play again on Tuesday night as they host the UMass Boston Beacons at 4:00 pm. The game will be played at Adams Field in Quincy, MA.