MINNEOLA, Fla. – Suffolk softball trailed by four at the end of the first inning, then score eight straight, and held off a North Park comeback to take a 9-6 victory over the Vikings Wednesday night at Minneola Athletics Complex.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 9 | North Park 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-5) | North Park (4-2)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk started the scoring in the first frame as Caitlin Murphy's lead off base on balls ended in a 1-0 edge. The Rams' sophomore took first on a walk, sniped second and headed to third on Ally Cifaratta's sac bunt. Ashley Zulla brought the runner in with a single to right for the one-run lead.  

North Park put up a lopsided five runs in the bottom of the first after four walks, two hits and one error.  

The scoring continued in the top of the second as Suffolk made up ground. With one out, and the bases chucked, Samantha Jacques plated Kelly Keane, who knocked a base hit down the left field line, to start the rally. The next two runs came off of Murphy's single up the middle that made it a one run, 5-4, game.  

More moves were made in the top of the third after Alexa White, who took over the rubber in the middle of the first, threw a three-up, three-down inning. Savannah Scripter wore a pitch to take first and Karina Bua ran for the designated player. Brooke Cloak then blasted a long ball to deep left center that scored Bua to tie things up at 5.   

Runs kept coming for the Rams in their next trip to the plate. Zulla ignited things with one-run one-bagger that put Suffolk in front before Scripter followed suit with an RBI single of her own. Two batters later Keane smashed a single to left field that plated a pair of runners to turn it into a 9-5 Suffolk after 3.5.  

The Vikings had a chance to trim the margin down to three in the home half of the fourth. With a runner on second and two outs, Sam Camilleri barreled a long ball to center. The shot fell just in front of Murphy, who picked it up and chucked it home as Caitlyn Webb, who started at second, rounded third and headed home. Murphy's toss met Zulla's glove in time to get the third out and maintain the four-run cushion.  

Suffolk was kept scoreless for the first time on the day in the fifth, which saw the Vikings make up some ground. A bobble by shortstop Leah Barnes let a run score. Murphy then gloved a shot to center for the second out of the frame and Cifaratta made a highlight-reel scoop at second to preserve the damage to just one.  

A scoreless sixth and top of the seventh set-up a thrilling seventh. The Vikings put the first two hitters on with a single and fielder's choice. An infielder fly put got the first out with Barnes snagging a line drive to short for the second. The game-tying run reached after Cloak lost the ball on a hit to third. White took over from there as she sat down the final batter looking to secure the 9-6 victory for Suffolk.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• White improved to 2-1 on the year after a one-run, six-hit, no-walk, four-strikeout relief effort of 6.1 innings. 
• Kennedy Reyes started in the circle. She let up five runs, one earned, on two hits and four walks in 0.2 innings. 
• Morgan Fritchman slipped to 1-2 on the year after allowing nine runs on eight hits and three walks through 3.1 innings. 
• Katie Creager gave up a pair of hits in 0.2 innings and Hayley Jackson served 3.0 scoreless inning with two hits and two Ks.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Zulla produced a 3-for-4 performance with one double for two RBI and one run scored. 
• Keane had a near identical stat line of Zulla's with a 3-for-4 effort for two RBI and one run scored. 
• Boehler contributed two hits and two runs. 
• Murphy had an all-around effort of one hit, one RBI, one run, one stolen base and one walk. 
• Cloak supplied one RBI and one hit, a double. 
• Jacques notched one hit, a bunt, one RBI and scored once. 
• Bua and Cifaratta each scored once.   

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met North Park for the first time. 
• Zulla registered doubles in back-to-back games. 
• Zulla had three hits in back-to-back games. She has recorded three knocks, which tie a personal-best, in three games this season.  
• Keane recorded a season-best three hits.  

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk has tomorrow off before wrapping up its Spring Break trip Friday, March 13 against Clarkson and Westminster. The Rams open the day against the Golden Knights at 9:30 a.m. at Hancock Park and wrap up action immediately following versus Titans.