
LEICESTER, Mass. – Freebies plagued Suffolk softball as the Rams gave up 10 walks, four of which brought in runs, and the blue-and-gold's offense could not make up the ground as it fell to Becker, 13-3, in five-innings, in the opener of a non-conference doubleheader at Russell Field Wednesday afternoon.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Becker 13
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-10) | Becker (13-10)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Becker wasted no time and built a 4-0 margin in the first frame. The Rams sliced the deficit in half in the home half of the inning. Caitlin Murphy opened the inning with a single and stole second before Grace Boehler traded places with the runner behind a double to right center. Boehler than came in on Kelly Keane's sac fly to center after advancing to third behind a base hit from Jaclyn Flint.
The two-run distance would not hold long as the Hawks tacked on another pair in the second stanza to regain the four-run advantage, 6-2.
It was a standstill from there until the top of the fifth when Becker burst out and put up seven runs on three hits and five walks to put the Rams in a 13-2 hole.
With its back against the wall, Suffolk had to make up ground and McKenzie McGrath provided a spark with a dinger over the left field fence, but the homer was the only hit of the frame as Becker's defense turned a pair of ground outs to lock up the run-rule decision in its favor.
PITCTURES PICTURE
- Hannah DelCervo suffered the setback to dip to 3-4 on the year after giving up 10 runs, all earned, on nine hits, six walks and four strikeouts.
- Alexis Bonilla came in for 0.2 innings of action. She allowed three runs on one hit and four base-on-balls.
- Ashley Veillette earned the decision behind a complete-game, three-run, 11-hit, one-walk, two-strikeout performance.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Murphy did not miss at the dish with the freshman centerfielder going 3-for-3 with one run scored and one stolen base on her stat line as well.
- Boehler boasted a 2-for-3 effort, including one double, to bring in one run and score one herself.
- Brooke Cloak also went 2-for-3 at the dish.
- McGrath's only hit of the day was homer she also laid down a bunt.
- Keane recorded on RBI on a sac fly.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk renewed a rivalry with Becker, meeting the Hawks for the first time since 2015, second time in the Jaclyn Davis era and sixth time overall.
- McGrath knocked a ball out of the park for the first time in her collegiate career.
- Murphy matched a personal-best three hits.
COMING UP
Suffolk closes the two-game non-conference action with Becker this afternoon.