BOSTON – After falling 5-1 to Norwich in the two-game series opener, the Suffolk softball team rallied for a 5-0 win over the Cadets in the nightcap in a GNAC doubleheader at East Boston Memorial Park Thursday afternoon. 

THE BASICS
GAME 1 SCORE: Suffolk 1, Norwich 5
GAME 2 SCORE: Suffolk 5, Norwich 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (15-14, 7-6 GNAC) | Norwich (7-16-1, 7-7 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk struck fist in the opener, with an RBI ground out from McKenzie McGrath  that brought Jaclyn Flint in, who led off the inning with a walk. The one-run lead would not hold, however, as the Cadets attacked late and often with a four-run fifth and an insurance score in the sixth to grab a 5-1 advantage. 

The Rams could not muster a rally to suffer the setback. 

Similar to Game 1, the Rams got on the board first in Game 2 thanks to an RBI single from Jill Pulek that scored Ashley Zulla, who reached on an error. Two innings later, Pulek's solo shot opened up a flurry of Suffolk runs with three more coming in in the home half of the third to put the Rams in front 5-0. McGrath brought a runner around with a double and Sydney Littlefield picked up an RBI, plating Lindsay Pagano, who reached on a walk, with McGrath taking an advantage of a Cadets' error to make it a five-run contest. 

Suffolk kept Norwich off the board down the stretch to hold onto the 5-0 win. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Game one featured just two hits, off the bats of Pulek and Delaney Sylvester with McGrath bringing the lone run in.
• In the nightcap, Littlefield, Pulek and Zulla all went 2-for-4 at the plate. Pulek paced the pack with two RBIs thanks to her homer, to go along with one run, while Littlefield registered one RBI and Zulla scored one run.
• McGrath had a day as well, with a 2-for-3 performance, which included one double, for one RBI and one run scored. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• In the opener, Ali Yamakaits picked up the loss. The junior gave up four runs on six hits and four walks with two Ks through 5.0 innings.
• Rachel Johnson earned the victory in Game one with a one-run, two-hit, 10-strikeout day through 7.0 innings.
• Taylor Holmes went the distance to pick up the win, throwing a two-hit, one-walk, nine-strikeout shutout in Game 2.
• Emily Oliver fell in the nightcap, allowing five runs (two earned) on 10 hits through 6.0 frames of action. 

NOTEABLES

• Suffolk and Norwich split for the first time since 2014.
• Pulek moved into sole possession of third-place on the all-time homerun list at Suffolk, knocking her 14th career jack.
• Holmes matched her career-high Ks with nine, throwing her fourth complete-game shutout of the season. 

POST-GAME PICS

COMING UP
Suffolk remains at home over the weekend as it entertains Mt. Ida in its Coaches vs. Cancer contest Saturday, April 22 and welcomes Lasell to East Boston Memorial Park Sunday, April 23. Both games have a 12 p.m. first pitch.