BOSTON – Brady Chant and the Suffolk baseball team continue to receive honors for their outstanding 2017 season. The Rams were named the NCAA Division III statistical champion in triples and triples per game led by the nation's individual leader in the same categories, rising senior Chant.
The Rams, who finished the season with a 28-17 overall record, its third consecutive GNAC Championship and a historical run at the NCAA Division III New England Baseball Regionals, finished the season with 32 triples and .71 triples per game through 45 outings in 2017. This marks the first time the blue-and-gold have been crowned the champion in triples per game. This is the first time in conference history that a GNAC school has been crowned the NCAA statistical champion for triples, dating back to 2000.
Suffolk's 32 triples came off the bats of 11 Rams anchored by Chant, who averaged .27 triples per contest, contributing 12 total. The D3Baseball.com All-American Honorable Mention honoree blasted a hit good for three bases in 10 games to find himself atop of Suffolk's season and career records with 12 and 22, respectively. The all-region first-team selection by D3Baseball.com and the NEIBA in conjunction with ABCA and Rawlings knocked three triples in a 30-8 win over Anna Maria April 15 to check off multiple firsts for a Ram. The centerfielder became the first Ram to produce two triples in one inning and across NCAA DIII since 2010, accomplishing the feat in the home half of the third. He also became just the 12th player in NCAA DIII history to record three or more triples in a single outing and the only Ram to do so.
Chant is the second GNAC player to lead the nation in triples per game and first to do so since Rivier's John McMahon 0.28 triples per game sat atop NCAA DIII in 2002. The 6-foot-3 captain from Warwick, Rhode Island, is the first Ram to be crowned the statistical champion for triples per game.
Matt Brenner (4), Kevin Higgins (3), Kevin Belskie (2), Sean Cameron (2), Seth Coiley (2), BJ Neil (2), Curtis Tirone (2), Zack Aresty (1), Zach Grogan (1) and Connor Troio (1) also contributed to the Rams' national statistical champion status, Suffolk's first under the guidance of three-year head coach Anthony Del Prete.