Quincy, MA -- Senior Paul Vittozzi's (North Reading, MA) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth plated the game winning run as the Suffolk University Rams (17-4) defeated Roger Williams (10-9-1) by a score of 4-3 on Wednesday evening.
Both teams had plenty of opportunities to break the game open, but solid pitching performances from Suffolk's Marc Doyle (Whitman, MA) and Roger Williams' Ryan Willette (Middleton, MA) kept the game tight until the final inning.
Senior Anthony Iacopucci (Medford, MA) got the ninth inning started, leading off with a single into right field. Iacopucci was then lifted for pinch-runner Jose Alejandro (Lowell, MA) who advanced to second when a Scanlon fastball sailed to the backstop. Gentile then laid down a sacrifice bunt advancing Alejandro to third. Vittozzi then hit a fly ball down the left field line to plate the game winner and give the Rams their tenth win in eleventh game.
The Hawks' had a chance to jump out early in the second as they put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Senior Jamie Dahill (South Boston, MA) got the inning starting with a single, which was followed up by a walk to senior Kevin Simpson (Londonderry, NH). Both runners would advance on a passed ball, but Doyle buckled down retiring the next two hitters on line outs, before recording the inning's final out on a punchout.
Suffolk got the scoring started in the third when senior Nick Chioffi (South Burlington, VT) drew a walk to lead the inning off. Junior Rory Gentile (Gloucester, MA) then laced a double into right center. Both runners came around to score when junior Bobby Barrett (Milton, MA) singled up the middle with two outs to give the Rams the early 2-0 lead. Sophomore Mark Addesa (Revere, MA) homered in the fourth, hitting a towering drive to left to put the Rams up 3-0.
The Hawks got on the board in the sixth, taking advantage of a key Suffolk error as they began to inch closer. Simpson got the inning going singling with one, before Doyle walked pinch-hitter Chris Comeau (Southbury, CT) and Tim Georgen (Bristol, CT) to load the bases with two outs. Suffolk then brought in senior Reid Jackson (Burlington, MA) to get out of the jam. Senior Bill Lambert (Hanover, MA) hit a ground ball to third, which ricocheted off of Suffolk's third baseman into left field plating two runs to bring the score to 3-2.
Roger Williams evened the score up at 3-3 in the next inning as Kevin Simpson shot a single through the left side of the infield plating senior Alex Perry (Glastonbury, CT).
The Rams had a golden opportunity to in the bottom half of the seventh as they loaded up the bases with nobody out. Roger Williams brought in freshman Sean Scanlon (Lebanon, CT) out of the bullpen who got out of the jam unscathed. Scanlon did all the work himself, recording two strike outs and fielding a comebacker to keep the game even at three.
Senior Dan Delia (Boston, MA) picked up the win in relief. Delia now moves to 5-0 on the season. Delia was sharp striking out the side in the eight, and also picked off the go ahead run off of second base in the ninth. Doyle, whose making his first start since Florida pitched well for the Rams going 5 2/3 striking out five and not allowing any earned runs.
Kevin Simpson finished the game 2-3 for the Hawks. Starter Ryan Willette pitched six innings allowing eight hits and fanning five. Scanlon (0-2) takes the loss. In 2 2/3 innings he punched out four Rams hitters.
Senior Mike Kenneally (Georgetown, MA) had two more hits, as well as Gentile and Vittozzi for Suffolk.
Roger Williams travels back to Quincy on Thursday to take on Eastern Nazarene College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference double header. Suffolk will play again this weekend as they host Norwich University on Friday and Albertus Magnus on Saturday in GNAC double headers. Friday's first game will start at 2 pm at Adams Field in Quincy, MA.
Suffolk 4, Roger Williams 3 (Apr 08, 2009 at Quincy, MA)
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Roger Williams...... 000 002 100 - 3 7 0 (10-9-1)
Suffolk............. 002 100 001 - 4 10 3 (17-4)
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Pitchers: Roger Williams - Ryan Willette; Sean Scanlon(7). Suffolk - Marc Doyle;
Reid Jackson(6); Dan Delia(8).
Win-Dan Delia(5-0) Loss-Sean Scanlon(0-3) T-2:30 A-103
HR SUF - Mark Addesa.
Willette faced 3 batters in the 7th.