STANDISH, Maine – Suffolk baseball could not overcome a double digit, second-inning deficit as Saint Joseph's (Maine) cruised to a 15-8 victory over the Rams in the opening contest of. GNAC doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Larry Mahaney Diamond.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8 | Saint Joseph's (Maine) 15
RECORDS: Suffolk (21-15-1, 13-2 GNAC) | Saint Joseph's (Maine) (29-8, 13-2 GNAC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
A SJC one-run first-inning edge blossomed into a 10-0 advantage after the Monks put up nine runs off 10 hits and one error in the second stanza.  

The Rams looked to make up ground and started to in the third when Tim Brigham brought in two runs on a single up the middle. The junior left fielder plated Rich Gilbride, who walked, and Trevor Lee, who singled, to pull the blue-and-gold within eight.  

The Monks responded to the Rams runs with one of their own to push the margin back to nine, 11-2, after three complete innings.  

St. Joe's added even more to its cushion in the fifth with four runs to extend its cushion to 15-2.  

Despite being down 13, Suffolk found its offensive grove in the sixth to make things interesting. With one out, pinch hitter Logan Heckman started a string of seven singles, including five that scored one run, before returning to the dish for his second at bat of the inning. This time, the sophomore drew a walk with the bases loaded to bring in Suffolk's sixth run of the inning that pulled the visitors within seven, 15-8.  

The seven-run ground was too much for the Rams to make up in the seventh even with a lead-off single by pinch hitter Nik San Antonio and the Monks managed to hold on for the victory.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Worth Walrod slipped to 4-3 on the season after allowing 10 runs (five earned) on eight hits and one walk with three strikeouts in just 1.2 innings of action. 
• Tyler Zell (2.1 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 BB), EJ Birch (1.0 IP, 4 R, 2B BB) and Robert Shaw (1.0 IP, 1 H) all came out of the pen for the Rams. 
• Zack Begin earned the decision for St. Joe's with a six-run, eight-hit, three-walk, four-strikeout performance over 5.2 innings. 
• Matt Poff worked 1.1 innings scoreless innings with just two hits and one walk given up to go with one K. 
• Alex D'Angelo also took the bump for the Monks and let up two runs on two hits and one walk.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brigham brought in three runs on two hits. 
• Lee notched two hits, two runs and one RBI. 
• Cormier collected two hits, one RBI and one run scored. 
• Gilbride scored twice, brought in one run and had one walk. 
• Heckman notched one hit, one run, one walk and one RBI. 
• Troior tallied one hit, one RBI and one run. 
• Isaak added one hit and one run.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk concludes the regular-season conference finale, the closer of the twinbill at St. Joe's this afternoon.