BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott exploded for an eight-run seventh stanza to build a distance too much for Suffolk baseball to make up as the Rams fell to the Gulls, 21-5, in the nightcap of the CCC POD B Finals Saturday at North Field.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | Endicott 21
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-12) | Endicott (15-6)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk found itself chasing three early on as Bradley Baldinger fired a three-run rocket over the left center fence in the top of the second.
The Rams made up that ground three two frames later with a multi-run home of its own. Tim Brigham barreled a bomb to right center and brought in Blase Cormier, who doubled, with him to trim the deficit down to one. Suffolk's scoring didn't stop there as a field error by Endicott's second baseman allowed Marc Birbiglia to reach and a throwing error put the centerfielder on second. Luke Harder pushed Birbiglia to third to set up a game-tying sac fly by Zack Aresty.
The tied score did not stay long as Endicott restored its three-run advantage and then some in the top of the fifth. The Gulls used a pair of doubles and an RBI single from Kyle Graboswki to put the blue-and-gold in a four-run, 7-3 hole.
Balls out of the park continued to be the storyline. First Birbiglia barreled a two-run rocket to center field in the home half of the sixth to slice the margin in half and pull the Rams back within two, 7-5.
In Endicott's next trip to the dish, Kyle Brennan one-upped Birbiglia's two-run jack with a three-run no doubter to right field to give the Gulls their largest lead of the day, 10-5. EC would go on to bat around the order in the top of the seventh to extend the distance to 10, 15-5.
Suffolk's bats never got going and Endicott tacked on two more runs in the eighth and four in the ninth behind Justin Bailey's three-run blast and Nick Carelli's double to right center to stretch matters even further.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Suffolk starter EJ Birch let up six runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
- Parker Browne (5 R, 5H, 1 BB, 2 Ks), Casey Sullivan (4 ER, 4 H), CJ Barrett (0 R 1H), Michael Muscarella (2 R, 3 H, 1 BB) and George Breslin (2R, 3 H, 1 BB) all came out of the pen for the Rams.
- Cooper Anibal tossed 5.0 innings in which he allowed four runs, three earned on six hits with five punchouts.
- Gabe Van Emon threw 3.0 innings of relief with one run allowed on three hits and two punchouts.
- Noah Therrien fired a scoreless, hitless inning of relief.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Brigham went 3-for-4 and was one triple away from hitting the cycle. He brought in two runs and scored two himself.
- Birbiglia notched a 2-for-3 effort with one dinger. He registered two RBI and two runs scored.
- Cormier supplied one hit, a double, and scored one run.
- Christian Seariac had two hits.
- Aresty brought in one run on a sac fly.
- Steven Shamnoski and Harder each added one hit.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk had multiple home runs in back-to-back games since stringing three outings in a row with two-plus dingers April 24-27, 2016.
- Birbiglia had his second homer of his collegiate career, first since March 27 at Gordon.
- Brigham produced his second jack of the year, first since April 23 against Gordon.
- Brigham tied a personal-best in hits (3) and runs scored (2).
- Birbiglia matched a Career-high two RBI.
