AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A four-run, seventh-inning Rams rally that tied the game would not be enough for Suffolk baseball as Ohio Northern battled back and won the nightcap of a doubleheader in the ninth inning, 5-4, Wednesday afternoon at Lake Mrytle Park at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Ohio Northern 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-8) | Ohio Northern (8-3)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Ohio Northern broke up Harry Meehan's no-hitter in the fifth inning as it rattled off back-to-back base hits. Behind those singles and three Rams fielding mishaps the Polar Bears built a four-run cushion.  

Suffolk's bats were limited to one single in the fifth and sixth to keep things at 4-0 as the game headed to the bottom of the seventh. Down four, Sebastian Lampert hit a single to right and Sam Armbruster doubled to left field. An error not only allowed Mike Mullaney to reach, but let Lampert and Armbruster score to slice the deficit in half, 4-2.  

The Polars Bears went to the pen to keep the blue-and-gold at bay, but the fresh arm was no match for Suffolk. Jack Mihalchik singled and pinch hitter Chris Cimino barreled a base hit that brought in Mullaney that made it a one-run came.  

A ground out by Max Martin moved the runners over before Cole Hilliard's single to center plated Mihalchik to even things at 4. 

Ohio Northern broke the knotted game in the top of the ninth thanks to a sac fly by Ace Cocklin that brought in Robbie Reed, that hit a one-out single to center. 

The Polar Bears went to their bull pen yet again as Blake Peterson came in for Joe Tootle. This time the reliever paid off as he retired the side to lock up the win. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Anthony Ferreira took the loss. He let up one run on four hits and one walk with one strikeout in 3.0 innings of relief. 
• Suffolk's starter Meehan allowed four runs, all unearned, on three hits and three walks with three punchouts. 
• Tootle earned the decision for the Polar Bears behind a one-run, earned, three-hit, two-strikeout effort in 1.2 innings. 
• Peterson logged the save with 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless work. 
• Blake Altaffer (3.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K) and Matt Serdinak (3.1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 6 K) took the bump for Ohio Northern as well.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Hilliard went 3-for-4 at the dish with one RBI. 
• Mihalchik went 2-for-4 with one run. 
• Cimino chipped in one hit and one RBI. 
• Armbruster had one hit, a double, and one run. 
• Lampert had a one-hit, one-run game as well. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Ferreira made his collegiate debut. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
A double feature with Elms awaits Suffolk tomorrow, Thursday, March 13. Game one has a 1:00 p.m. first pitch at Northeast Regional Park.