EAST BOSTON – The Suffolk baseball team went 2-0 in its GNAC opener as the Rams followed up a 4-3 victory over Norwich with a 3-1 triumph against the Cadets Saturday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Norwich 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-6, 2-0 GNAC) | Norwich (5-13, 0-2 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Norwich quickly grabbed a one-run lead, but Suffolk righted the wrong in the bottom of the second. Matt Brenner drilled a floater to the fence in right center to open the frame. Greg Speliotis followed with a single through the right side to knot the score. Luke Ronchi sent a double down the right field line to put runners on the corners and Kevin Belskie gave the Rams a 2-1 lead on a ground out to second. Kyle Faquharson went to pick off Ronchi on third, but over threw, allowing the senior right fielder to saunter home, making it a 3-1 contest.
The contest stood at a standstill from there will neither team building off base runner momentum. In the Top of the seventh, the Cadets put in a handle of pinch hitters and one was successful to with a single, but Suffolk sealed up the sweep on a 643 double play.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Brenner (1-3), Speliotis (1-2) and Ronchi (1-2) combined for Suffolk's three hits with trio responsible for all three of the Rams' runs, each scoring one apiece.
- Speliotis, who also drew one walk, had one RBI with Belskie responsible for the other.
PITCHERS PICURE
- Mark Fusco dealt complete-game, allowing one unearned run off three hits with one strikeout and one walk.
- Faquharson also went the full seven. The Cadets arm sat down 10 Rams, gave up three runs on three hits and walked three batters.
NOTEWORTHY
- Fusco earned the nod for the first time in his collegiate career.
- Suffolk swept its GNAC opener for the first time since taking down Anna Maria in a two-game series, 9-0, 5-0 in 2014.
- The conference opening sweep is the second under head coach Anthony Del Prete.
POST-GAME PIC
UP NEXT
Suffolk wraps up the GNAC weekend tomorrow as it takes on Rivier in Eastie. The contest, which will be hosted by the Raiders, will begin at 1 p.m.
