The Suffolk University Baseball team (14-12) outlasted the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors (19-8), by an 11-9 margin Monday afternoon at the Mansfield Complex. The Warriors entered the game as the 17th-ranked team nationally, and fifth ranked team in last week’s NEIBA New England regional poll.
A four run ninth-inning helped propel the Rams to victory, as Suffolk sent nine hitters to the plate taking advantage of three hits, two intentional walks and a hit batsman. Freshman Chris Stanley (Orange Country, Calif.) got the big inning started for Suffolk as he took a curve ball off the shin to reach base. Senior Bobby Barrett (Milton, Mass.) followed him up with a single through the right side as both baserunners were put into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by senior Marc Doyle (Whitman, Mass.). The Warriors then decided to intentionally walk junior Andrew Babb (Ashland, Mass.) to load the bases and try to induce the inning ending double play, but freshman Jhonneris Mendez (Roslindale, Mass.) rifled a slider through the left side of the infield to break the 7-7 tie and put the Rams up. Junior Mark Addesa (Revere, Mass.) would follow him up driving home a pair of runs with a double off the right field field wall, and Suffolk would add a run later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by junior Nick Travelyn (Bedford, N.H.) to put the Rams up 11-7.
Both Babb and Mendez played a huge role on the mound as well for the Rams, as Babb started on the hill going 8 2/3 innings picking up his second win of the season. Mendez would come in with two outs in the ninth as the Warriors managed to start a rally bringing the tying run to the plate. The freshman right-hander would get a fly ball out to end it picking up his second save of the season.
Eastern Connecticut jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. Senior Melvin Castillo (Danbury, Conn.) hit his fourth homer of the season to lead the inning off plating the first run of the game for either side. Junior Joe Cousineau (Newington, Conn.) drove a run in later in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
The Rams would answer back in their next at-bat plating a pair of runs to even up the contest as junior Mark Annese (Winchester, Mass.) led the inning off with a double down the left field line. Travelyn followed him up with a double of his own and would later come around to score on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Bobby Barrett.
Suffolk would go up 5-2 in the fifth inning as they collected three hits in the frame and also took advantage of a costly throwing error. Senior Rory Gentile (Gloucester, Mass.) doubled off the left field wall with one out and came around to score on a single by Barrett. Babb would help out his own cause singling down the right field line to plate a run and give the Rams runners on the corners with two outs. A botched pick-off play by the Warriors would send Marc Doyle home for the Rams, as they never trailed again in the contest.
Eastern Connecticut would not go quietly however as they managed to score three runs with two outs in the sixth to even the game at five. A two-out walk, followed by a single would bring Joe Cousineau to the plate, who would hit his first home run of the season over the left field wall.
Suffolk collected 12 hits on the day as a team, as the Rams had four players finish the day with multiple hits. Babb, Addesa and Travelyn each had two-RBI for the Rams, while Barrett also picked up a pair of RBI to go along with three runs scored as he finished the day 2-for-4.
Babb pitched well keeping the Warriors off balance and had to battle for most of the game as he scattered 12 hits through his 8 2/3 innings of work allowing five earned runs, while fanning four.
The win snaps an eight-game losing streak to Eastern Connecticut for Suffolk, who have not been victorious in Mansfield since the 2001 season.
The Warriors will take on Trinity College tomorrow in non-conference action.
Suffolk will travel back down to the Nutmeg state to take on Albertus Magnus College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference double header that was originally scheduled for this past Saturday. Game one will begin at 4:00pm.