Boston, MA - The Suffolk University Baseball team (25-7) opened up the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament with a dramatic 4-2 victory over Albertus Magnus (15-17) on Friday afternoon. Senior Tim Doyle (Milton, MA) was superb on the mound giving the Rams eight innings to move his record to 6-0. Doyle, who was named to the GNAC All-Conference 1st team earlier in the afternoon pitched eight innings only allowing one earned run on five hits while striking out four.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, sophomore Mark Addesa (Revere, MA) broke a 2-2 tie with a single up the middle to drive home sophomore Jon Handy (South Burlington, VT) for the game-winning RBI.
Both teams were locked in a pitcher's duel as Doyle and Albertus' Charles Chancio (Oxford, CT) battled all day. Chancio (3-4), takes the tough luck loss only allowed six hits over eight innings of work, fanning eight Rams hitters. The southpaw managed to retire 13 in a row before Handy's double in the eighth.
Albertus jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI single by sophomore Kyle Calechman (North Haven, CT). Senior Robert Boscarino (Windsor Locks, CT) drew a leadoff walk to start the inning before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Cameron Giordano. Freshman Chris Dady (East Haven, CT) hit a bleeder single into left to put runners on the corners before Calechman drove in the first run of the game to give the Falcons the early edge.
The Rams would answer with two of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Mike Kenneally (Georgetown, MA) took a breaking ball off the foot to reach base. Senior Anthony Iacopucci (Medford, MA) then laced a single into right. Sophomore Nick Travelyn (Bedford, NH) got the Rams on the board as he turned on a Chancio offering doubling down the left field line driving in Kenneally evening up the game. The Rams then took the lead as junior Rory Gentile (Gloucester, MA) hit a sacrifice fly to center field plating Iacopucci and giving the Rams the 2-1 lead.
The Falcons answered quickly in the fifth scoring on an outfield error as Nick Travelyn misplayed a flyball in left field off the bat of senior Chris Noske (South Windsor, CT) to even the score at 2-2. The Falcons had a golden opportunity in the sixth inning with two runners on an one out, but a heads up play by Doyle would end the threat. Doyle picked up on senior Dave Smith (Flanders, NJ) extra lead on second and turned to pick him off. As Doyle gave the ball up to the middle infield, Smith was tagged out while freshman Robert Bengivengo (Oxford, CT) tried to advance to second during the rundown. Both runners were tagged out on the play ending the Falcons' inning.
Kenneally tacked on an insurance run in the Rams' eight following Addesa' single with a single of his own for the fourth run of the game for the Rams.
Senior Dan Delia (Boston, MA) pitched a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season.
Both teams will now travel to Standish, Maine this weekend for the remainder of the GNAC Tournament. With the win Suffolk now advances to the winner's bracket where they will take on the winner of today's matchup between St. Joseph's and Johnson & Wales. That game will be played on Saturday at 2:00 pm. Albertus will play the loser in the elimination game at 10:00 am.
Suffolk 4, Albertus Magnus 2 (Apr 24, 2009 at Medford, MA)
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Albertus Magnus..... 001 010 000 - 2 5 1 (15-17)
Suffolk............. 000 200 020 - 4 6 1 (25-7)
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Pitchers: Albertus Magnus - Charles Chancio. Suffolk - Tim Doyle; Dan Delia(9).
Win-Tim Doyle(6-0) Save-Dan Delia(3) Loss-Charles Chancio(3-4) T-1:55 A-120