BOSTON – Suffolk baseball took the lead early and never let go take down UMass Boston, 8-5, and split the non-conference doubleheader with the Beacons at Monan Park Friday night after a disappointing game one setback. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8 | UMass Boston 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (13-10) | UMass Boston (15-5)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk scored in the first frame for an early 1-0 edge. The first three Rams at the plate notched a hit to get the offense going. Jonny Gilbride led off with a double down the right field line and two batters later cruised in on Joe Ward's single to right field.  

The Rams added to their one-run advantage three innings later with a three-run fourth. Luke Harder singled to left center to get things going. He swiped second and third to wait in scoring position, however, the next two Rams were retired. Timothy McCarthy barreled a triple to right center to keep the inning going and bring in Harder. McCarthy came around when Gilbride sent the ball over the left field fence to push the cushion to 4-0.  

An inning later Suffolk padded the margin even further with a pair of runs. Harry Painter worked a base on balls moved over on Marc Birbiglia's ground out to the pitcher before Harder's base hit up the middle plated Painter. Harder's base running paid off again as the right field stole second and took third on a passed ball. Shane Lake sacrificed himself to bring in Harder on a long out to center to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.   

UMass Boston used extra-base knocks in the home half of the fifth to pull back within a pair, 6-4. The Beacons scored four runs on five hits.  

After the Rams went down in order in the top of the sixth, Gianni Zarrilli Jr. sent a solo shot to left the bottom half to make it a one run game. 

Both sides kept things scoreless in the seventh and eighth, respectively, to send Suffolk to the ninth with a 6-5 cushion when Thomas Kierce came in pitch. The new win quickly found himself with all the ducks in the pond after two walks and a base hit. Harder wore a pitch with the bases chucked to add insurance. A strikeout and pitching change later, an erratic pitch by the fresh wing, Josh Eastman, allowed another Rams runner to score to push matters to 8-5 in the visitors favor.  

Steven Rossi came in to preserve the win for Suffolk. The senior right-handed hurler walked the first batter he faced, A Blake, but quickly gained confidence when he struck K Carrera swinging. Rossi got the next two outs with help from second baseman Ben Isaak. Isaak gloved a pop up down the right field line, before connecting with Blase Cormier at first for a routine ground out, which sealed Suffolk's triumph.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Garret Roberts earned the decision. He allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts over 5.0 innings. 
• Casey Sullivan let up one run on three hits with one strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief. 
• EJ Birch shoved 2.0 innings of scoreless relief with just two hits given up and one K.
• Rossi recorded 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless relief with one punchout. 
• UMass Boston cycled through five different arms. 
• Dillon Ryan suffered the setback after giving up six runs, five earned, on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 4.2 frames of work. 
• DJ Lopes was effect in his 2.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief with three Ks.
• Ross Dexter (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K), Kierce (0.2 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K) and Eastman (0.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K) came out of the pen for the Beacons as well. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Gilbride provided two hits, both for extra bases with a double and homer, respectively. He brought in and scored two runs, respectively. 
• Harder had two hits, two RBI, two runs scored and three stolen bases. 
• Seariac supplied two hits, two stolen bases and one run. 
• McCarthy tallied two hits, including a triple, one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base. 
• Ward added one hit and one RBI. 
• Cormier chipped in one hit and one stolen base.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk defeated UMass Boston for the first time since upsetting then-No. 1 UMB, 3-1, March 24, 2018. 
• The Rams moved to 4-5 against the Beacons under Anthony Del Prete. 
• Suffolk is now 25-16 all-time against UMB. 
• Roberts made his first start on the mound in a Suffolk jersey. 
• Roberts registered his first win on the rubber at Suffolk. 
• Rossi logged a save. 
• Roberts sat down a career-high six batters. 
• McCarthy hit the first triple of his career. 
• Harder matched a career-best three stolen bases. 
• Harder pushed his hit streak to six games. In that stretch he has 10 hits including four doubles. 
• Gilbride went yard for the third time this season. 

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk has the weekend off before playing three non-conference midweek games starting Tuesday, April 12 at Bridgewater State.