BOSTON – Four-time reigning Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champion Suffolk baseball is set for an action packed, competitive 2019 as head coach Anthony Del Prete has compiled a 40-game slate spread out over nine weeks in March and April.
The first pitch of the 72nd season is set to be thrown in the Bay State when Suffolk makes the short trip to Monan Park to take on regional rival UMass Boston Friday, March 1. The non-conference clash marks the first time since 2016 that the Rams have opened their season in New England.
Suffolk will then take its talents to warmer climates as it jet sets to the Sunshine State for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. Over eight days the Rams will compete in 11 contests with play commencing Friday, March 8 against Clark. The blue-and-gold will also take on Westfield State (March 11) and Rochester Institute of Technology (March 13) in nine-inning battles and face Wentworth (March 9), Mount Union (March 10), Juniata (March 14) and Fitchburg State (March 15) in doubleheaders.
A hectic week awaits the Rams return to New England as they are set for five games in as many days. Over that stretch, Suffolk welcomes MIT for its home homer Tuesday, March 19 with Salve Regina stopping by East Boston Memorial Park the following day, Wednesday, March 20. The Rams head out on the road the next day with a trip to Brandeis on the docket Thursday, March 21, which serves as final prep for the blue-and-gold before it begins its GNAC title defense at home Saturday, March 23 when Norwich travels to Eastie.
The clash with the Cadets opens a five-game homestand, which features a midweek match against Western New England (March 27) and a twinbill with league foe Albertus Magus (March 30).
Suffolk wraps up its March action at the diamond of its newest member Colby Sawyer Sunday, March 31.
The Rams open April at Endicott (April 3) before making a pit stop at its home for a tangle with Nichols Thursday, April 4.
From there, Suffolk is away from the friendly confines of Beantown for five of its next seven with trips to Rivier (April 6), Wheaton (April 10) and Johnson & Wales (April 13). The road journey is broken up by a home bout with Anna Maria Sunday, April 7.
It's another quick stop home for the Rams Sunday, April 14 as they host Lasell in a conference doubleheader before stepping out of league play for nearly two weeks. Marathon Monday (April 15) sends the Rams to Babson with a visit to Curry on the calendar for Wednesday, April 17. A pair of nine-inning non-league outings against Tufts (April 23) and UMass Dartmouth (April 25) preceded the conference closer at Saint Joseph's (Maine) Saturday, April 27.
With the league regular-season locked up, the Rams are set to play in front of its home crowd one final time before the race to GNAC glory begins Tuesday, April 30 when Endicott swings by Sunday, April 28.
In his fourth season, Del Prete has put together a roster built with experience and eager newcomers. He will rely on the senior tri-captains of Charles Batchelder, Trevor Lee and Kevin Sinatra to lead the Rams to their fifth conference crown and fifth trip to the Big Dance.