CLERMONT, Fla. – Suffolk softball could not figure out Haley Smith and the Rams were shutout by Geneva, 5-0, Tuesday night at Legends Park.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 0 | Geneva 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-4) | Geneva (3-3) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk fell in a 3-0 hole after Geneva opened the game with two runs in the first and another in the second.Hanna Cash took over for Alexa White in the middle of the third in a one-out, two-runners on jam. The right-handed rookie got the Rams out of the image with no damage down and the three-run distance remained.  

In the bottom of the third, Ally Cifaratta erased the no-hitter with a triple down the left field line with two outs, but Suffolk did not rally around the extra-base hit to stay down three.  

Another Golden Tornados run was put on the board in the fourth and Suffolk saw another chance in its time at the plate. This time Kelly Keane knocked a stand-up double to right center and made her way to third on Ashley Zulla's single to left. Keane did not reach the bag in time though and a zero stayed on the Rams' side.   

Geneva added one more run in the top of the fifth and Haley Smith kept the Rams without a hit or base runner of the next two innings.  

With their backs against the way and a shutout pending, Leah Sowerbutts drew a one-out base on balls to get something going. A fielder's choice preceded Smith's fourth strikeout of the day as she fanned pinch hitter Riley Mulligan looking to preserve the shutout for the Golden Tornados.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• White suffered her first setback after giving up three runs on six hits and one walk. She sat down three hitters in 2.1 innings. 
• Cash put together a two-run, two-hit, three-walk relief effort over 4.2 frames.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• The Rams three hits came off three different bats: Cifaratta, Keane and Zulla. 
• Cifaratta and Keane had extra-base hits with a triple and double, respectively. 
• Leah Barnes, Savannah Scripter and Sowerbutts all worked walks at the plate.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met Geneva for the first time since 2015. 
• Cifaratta was the first player to hit a triple this season. Her first collegiate three-bagger was the first triple for a Ram since Brooke Cloak supplied one in a 10-6 triumph at Saint Joseph's (Maine) April 29, 2019. 

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk has two new foes tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11 in Skidmore and North Park. The Rams will first take on the Thoroughbreds at 4:15 p.m., immediately followed by a battle with the Vikings.