Senior Jonathan Richard (North Reading, Mass.) pitched the Suffolk University Baseball team to their first win of the 2014 season in a 6-2 victory over Thomas More College on Thursday afternoon at Chain O' Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven, Florida.
Richard allowed one earned run over eight innings of work while scattering seven hits and striking out four hitters en route to his victory on the mound this season.
Freshman Matt Brenner (Eliot, Me.) was 3-for-5 on the day including a two run double as part of a three run third inning for Suffolk to pace the offense.
Freshman Luke Ronchi (Randolph, N.J.) and senior Mac Jacobson (Norfolk, Mass.) led the third off with consecutive singles before both tagged on a deep fly ball to right off the bat of senior Jake Cintolo (Wrentham, Mass.). After senior Devan Jones (Roslindale, Mass.) drew a hit by pitch, junior Frank Tierney (Hyde Park, Mass.) would knock in the game's first run with a base hit. Brenner would then deliver the big blow as he doubled to deep right bringing Jacobson and Jones in to score as Suffolk built a three run lead through the first three innings of play.
The Saints would answer in their next at bat as sophomore Marcus Woelful (Harrison, Ohio) drove in their first run with a single plating senior Travis Miller (Erlanger, Ky.) who led the inning off reaching on an infield error.
Suffolk would tack on a pair of insurance runs in the fourth inning as Jacobson brought Marks home on a sacrifice fly to center, and junior Justin Knight (Hackettstown, N.J.) scored on an errant throw from the catcher later in the inning.
Richard would give way to Tierney in the ninth inning as the senior southpaw threw 122 pitches in the victory. The Saints would manage to load the bases with one out as Tierney escaped the jam punching out the final two hitters on back to back strikeouts looking.
Senior Jason Handley (Cincinnati, Ohio) was 2-for-5 on the day for the Saints, while Woelfel also recorded a pair of hits in the contest.
Jacobson finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, while Ronchi scored twice in the game for Suffolk
The loss drops Thomas More to a 2-4 mark on the young season.They will be idle until March 18 when they play their home opener against Wilmington College at 4:00pm.
With the victory Suffolk moves to a 1-5 record on their spring trip. With three games remaining, Suffolk will take on Husson University in a doubleheader on Friday afternoon beginning at 3:00pm.