PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Suffolk softball team fell behind early and a huge third inning by Johnson & Wales was too much for the Rams to come back from as the blue-and-gold fell 15-3 in five innings at Scots Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex Thursday afternoon. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Johnson & Wales 15
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-6, 0-1 GNAC) | Johnson & Wales (6-6, 3-0 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a quick three-up, three-down inning by the Rams, Johnson & Wales built an early four-run lead in the home half of the fourth. 

A scoreless second was followed by an offensive onslaught third from the Wildcats, who homered three times in the inning, to bring in 11 runs and stretch their cushion to 15-0 after three complete frames. 

Suffolk erased the shutout in the top of the fourth behind a two-RBI double from Ashley Zulla. The sophomore's hit up the middle scored Devlin Frost and Sydney Littlefield, who each reached on singles, to put two runs on the board for the visitors. 

After holding JWU in the bottom of the fourth, the Rams looked to stay alive in the top of the fifth. With runners on second and third, a sac fly by Payton Sylvester brought in Suffolk's third run of the outing, but Suffolk could not make up more ground as JWU put up the third out of the inning to seal the 15-3 decision in its favor. 

PITCHER PICTURE

• Payton Sylvester suffered the setback as the freshman allowed eight runs on six hits through 2.1 innings.
• Ali Yamakaitis (0.1 IP, 7 R, 6 H) and Constance Phelan (1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H) also saw time in the circle. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Five different Rams accounted for Suffolk's five hits.
• Zulla led the way at the plate for a 1-for-2 effort with her double good for two RBI.
• Littlefield (1-3) and Frost (1-3) had identical stat lines of 1-for-3 performances with one run apiece.
• McGrath went 1-for-2, while pinch hitter Grace Boehler took advantage of her one at-bat, collecting a hit.
• Payton Sylvester picked up one RBI on a sac fly. 

NOTEWORTHY

• McGrath stretched her heat streak to five consecutive contests. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk concludes the doubleheader at Johnson & Wales this evening at 6:30 p.m.