MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Suffolk baseball grabbed one win in a doubleheader against Westminster Tuesday at Ebbets Field as part of the Ripken Experience. After falling in game one, 12-4, the Rams closed the series with a 14-3 triumph over the Titans.
THE BASICS
GAME 1 SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Westminster 12
GAME 2 SCORE: Suffolk 14 | Westminster 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-3) | Westminster (2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Erratic pitching by two different hurlers hurt Suffolk in the first inning. It was until Anthony Del Prete's second choice from the pen, third Rams' wing of the day, Shreyas Parikh took over that things calmed down, but the damage was already done by Westminster as the blue-and-gold found itself in a seven-run hole.
Suffolk looked to come alive in the second as Joe Ward got things going with a double to left center. Marc Birbiglia wore a pitch to put two ducks in the pond and a double steal pushed the pair over for Blase Cormier's at bat. The first baseman did a job and sacrificed himself to eliminate the shutout. The Titans held the Rams to that lone run to keep control of the game, 7-1.
Limited base runners hurt the Rams comeback chances and so did a three-run fifth followed by a two-run sixth from the Titans that stretched the distance even further, 12-1.
Suffolk got one back in the home half of the sixth as Cormier collected his second sac fly of the day. An inning later, chasing 10, the Rams rallied two runs across, but the blue-and-gold ran out of time to catch-up. Timothy McCarthy scored the first for Suffolk.
It was an entirely different ball game in the second as a pair of Suffolk solo shots in the first and second innings, respectively, boosted the blue-and-gold bats. Ward got the excitement going as the sophomore barreled a no-doubter over the left center wall. The second dinger came off Luke Harder's bat to start a four-run second that pushed the Rams ahead 5-0.
George Breslin shoved three shutout innings with minimal base runners allowed to maintain the margin for Suffolk, who extended the edge even further in the fourth despite Westminster brining in a new arm, H. Stellato to calm the Rams' hitters down. Jonny Gilbride led off with a single through the left side, stole second and third before Christian Seariac walked to put runners in the corners for Ward. A two-hopper to first allowed Gilbride to come in, before Seariac cruised in on Birbiglia's base hit to center to push the cushion 7-0.
The Titans managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs, but Suffolk responded with a six-run fifth to really take control, 13-2. Most of the scoring in the fifth came behind inconsistent pitching with four walks, a hit by pitch and balk, as well as one error, that aided in the Rams' offensive output.
After a scoreless sixth, the teams traded runs in the seventh for the 14-3 final. Suffolk's score came on Harder's unassisted ground out to first that plated Michael James Jr., who drew a base on balls to lead off the inning.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Suffolk used five different arms in the opener.
- After Harry Painter (0.0 IP, 5 R, 3 BB), and Caleb Piwnicki (0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 BB) could not get the job done, Parikh did his and proved to be successful. The freshman came out of the bull pen, tossed 4.2 frames in which he let up three runs on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts to his credit.
- Jake Washock (2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 Ks) and James (2 BB, 2 Ks) each shoved 1.0 inning of relief.
- Breslin worked his way to the win in game two behind a two-run, six-hit, three-strikeout performance in 5.0 innings.
- Pierce Salbego came in for 2.0 innings of relief in in the nightcap. He allowed one run on three hits with a pair of punchouts.
- Timothy Lewis handled the first 5.0 innings of game one for the Titans with a one-run, two-hit, one-walk, four-strikeout outing.
- Dwight Parker (3 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 Ks) closed the opener out for Westminster.
- Westminster cycled through four different arms in game two.
- Starter Ryan Gibbons (5 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 Ks) suffered the setback.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Ward had a day at the dish. He finished the doubleheader with 5-for-6 effort with a dinger and two-bagger for four RBI, two runs scored and one stolen base.
- Harder contributed three hits, including a home run, with three RBI, two walks, two runs and three swiped bags to his credit.
- Cormier chipped in two RBI, both on sac flies, one hit, a double, and one run scored.
- McCarthy added two hits, one in each game, and scored one run in the opener.
- Birbiglia wore a pair of pitches in the first outing of the evening before going 2-for-4 with a triple with two RBI and one run scored in the nightcap.
- In game two, Gilbride went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, two stolen bases one RBI.
- Seariac added two RBI on one hit and one walk, respectively, with one run scored in the series closer.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk met Westminster for the first time since 1997.
- The Rams defeated the Titans for the first time in program history.
- Suffolk is now 1-2 all-time versus Westminster.
- All three games between Suffolk and Westminster have taken place on a neutral diamond.
- Suffolk hit two runs in a single game for the first time since game two of the CCC Pod B Playoffs at Endicott last year, May 1, 2021.
- The five stolen bases in the nightcap were the most by the Rams since swiping five in an 8-3 win over Colby Sawyer March 31, 2019.
- Painter made his first pitching appearance and start for Suffolk.
- Christo Danos notched a hit in his first collegiate at bat and scored his first collegiate run in his collegiate debut.
- Max Iorio scored the first run of his collegiate career.
- Brandon Bukowski recorded his first collegiate hit and RBI.
- Christopher White brought in a run for the first time in his career.
- Cormier rewrote his career high in sacrifice flies with two in game one.
- Ward logged a new personal-best in hits in game one with a pair before upstaging that with three in game two.
- Ward also had a new career high in RBI (4) and runs scored (2).
- Ward stole a base for the first time in his Suffolk career and tallied his first double and homer as a Ram.
- Birbiglia barreled a triple for the second time this season and matched a personal-best two hits.
- Harder matched a career-high three RBI, set a new personal-best in walks (3) and stolen bases (3) and produced the third home run of his career, first since sending one out of the park versus Ursinus, March 13, 2020.
- Shane Lake tied a career-high two walks.
- Gilbride set a personal-high in hits (2), runs scored (3) and stolen bases (2).
POST-GAME PICS
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is scheduled to take on Albertus Magnus Wednesday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m.
