WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Pinch hitter Delaney Doidge put on her hero cape as she lofted a double to the left field fence that brought in Lily Gustafson to break a 2-all tie and send Suffolk softball past Carrol, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at the DiamondPlex at The Spring Games.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Carroll 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-3) | Carroll (3-1)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Back-to-back base hits and a sac bunt put two runners in optimal scoring position for Carrol in the top of the first. A productive ground out to first by MK Dusza did a job and brought in the first run of the day to put Suffolk in a 1-0 hole.  

The Rams made up that ground and then some in the bottom of the first. Gustafson led off the inning with a single to center and after two outs a bobble by the Pios' shortsthop Kali Stanchi allowed Catherine Carignan to reach safely and keep the inning alive. Avery Carvalho walked to put all the ducks in the pond in time for Lily Newhall to rope a single through the left side that brought in two runs to send the Rams in front, 2-1.  

Carroll wasted no time to answer as it scored the game-tying run in the top of the second. A two-out double by Gianna Buske did the damage and scored Val Osthoff, who walked and moved to score on a sac bunt by Madison Hoag.   

The game remained deadlocked at 2-2 into the seventh. Newhall did her job in the circle and held Carroll scoreless to set-up walk-up possibility. IN a case of déjà vu, a bobble by Stanchi at short when Gustafson put the ball into play paid off for Suffolk and put the go-ahead runner on first. Head coach Megan Cook went to her bench and put Doidge pinch hit. The senior slugged the ball to left center and Gustafson sprinted around the bags to send the Rams to the 3-2 victory. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall earned the win behind a two-run, four-hit, one-walk, complete-game effort. 
• Makayla Wall took the loss. She gave up three runs, all unearned, on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts to her credit.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Doidge went 1-for-1 with a double and one RBI.
• Carginan compiled a 2-for-3 effort at the plate with one run scored. 
• Gustafson notched one hit and scored the game-winning run. 
• Newhall tallied two RBI and one hit. 
• Diana Rucinski registered one hit and one stolen base. 
• Julia Mills scored one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met Carroll for the first time. 
• Carignan has produced a hit in all six games this season.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffokl has a rest day tomorrow and returns to action Tuesday, March 11 against Ohio Christian and Northwestern (Minn.) at 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., respectively, at the Diamond Plex.