EAST BOSTON – Suffolk baseball kept a Lasell comeback at bay to take the opener of a non-conference twinbill, 6-5, Sunday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 6 | Lasell 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-8) | Lasell (7-10)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
After letting up two runs in the top of the first, Suffolk batted around the order in the bottom of the inning to grab a 5-2 lead. The Rams rally started when Joe Ward hit a stand-up double to right center to score Luke Harder. Harder led off the frame with a base on balls. A stolen base and balk later with a tied game, a combination of base hits and walks from the next six blue-and-gold batters push the host ahead.  

Two innings later, a communication error between the Lasers center and right fielder allowed Michael James Jr. to take third. The Rams' left fielder coasted in a balk to extend the edge to four. 

Lasell sliced the distance in half in the fifth, before truly threatening a stanza later. The Lasers managed to get two more runs on the board to trim the Rams' lead down to one, 6-5. The visitors did not stop there has they chucked the bags to put George Breslin in a two-out bases loaded jam. Bryan Bauman worked a full count to keep Ram Nation on the edge of their seats. Thankfully, Suffolk's defense backed up Breslin as Harder gloved a Bauman's piece in right to hold the hosts ahead.  

Looking for insurance, it did not come despite Harder bunting for a base to led off the home half of the sixth as Jason Giangrande silenced the next three Rams in order. 

Casey Sullivan came in to shut down the Lasers hope for a comeback. The senior southpaw did his job as he retired the side to lock up the series-opening win. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Breslin picked up the win. Suffolk's starter went 6.0 innings in which he allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits and five walks with one strikeout. 
• Sullivan secured the save with 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless relief with one K. 
• Lasell starter Owen Caldwell took the loss after letting up five runs on four hits and four walks through 0.2 innings. 
• Giangrande came out of the pen. He compiled a one-run, three-hit stat line over 5.1 frames.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Ward went 2-for-4 with both of his hits good for two bags. He brought in one run, scored one himself and stole one base. 
• James recorded two runs scored, one hit, one stolen base and one RBI. 
• Harder had one hit, one RBI, one run and one stolen base. 
• Cormier chipped in one hit and one run. 
• Lake logged one hit, one RBI and one stolen base.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk improved to 32-2 all-time versus Lasell. 
• The Rams moved to 17-2 against the Lasers in the Anthony Del Prete era. 
• Ward matched a career-high two doubles. The outfielder produced multiple hits good for two bags for the second time this season, first since producing a pair of doubles in a 7-1 win at Babson March 30. 
• James tied a personal-best two runs scored.  

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk closes the double feature with the Lasers this afternoon.