AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Suffolk baseball wrapped up its time at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on a high note as the Rams bested Saint Joseph's (Maine), 7-6, in game two of a double feature Friday night at Lake Myrtle Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 7 | Saint Joseph's (Maine) 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-3) | Saint Joseph's (Maine) (3-7)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Similar to the opener, Suffolk jumped out to a 2-0 edge. In the bottom of the first, Alex Sorenti-Burns brought two runs in a on a double to left center. He scored Garret Roberts, who singled, and Harry Painter, who reached on a fielder's choice.  

An inning later, the Rams lengthened the lead to three. Once again, Sorenti-Burns was responsible for plating the runs as the graduate student knocked a base hit to center to bring in Roberts, who reached on a fielder's choice.  

After a scoreless third, the Monks leveled the playing field in the fourth when Alex Moore barreled a two-out, three-run double to right center. 

Suffolk regained the advantage in the sixth with a two-out rally. Roberts got things rolling with a single to first before back-to-back walks by Jonny Gilbride and Harry Painter put all the ducks in the pond. The Monks made a change on the hill as Morgen Doughty took over for Josh Wieners. The fresh arm drilled Sorenti-Burns with a pitch to allow the go-ahead run to score. Max Iorio added insurance with a three-run triple down the right field line to stretch the margin to 7-3.  

SJC kept the blue-and-gold on its toes as it got the gap back to one. Pierce Salbego traded free bases with strikeouts to put runners on first and second. Vinny O'Leary's doubled down the right field line allowed the first run to come in and two more crossed home on Dylan Brander's single up the middle. Jared Wihelm put the ball in play and Gilbride successfully gloved it to make an unassisted force out to lock up the win for Suffolk.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Salbego went the distance for the Rams on the rubber and put together a six-run, seven-hit, three-walk, nine-strikeout, complete-game performance. 
• Josh Wieners took the loss after giving up three runs on two hits and three walks with three punchouts in 1.2 frames of relief. 
• SJC's starter Ethan Smith put together a three-run, six-hit, three-walk, six-strikeout effort in 4.0 frames. 
• Morgan Doughty (1 H, 1 R) and Anthony Sayers (01. IP, 1 K) also came out of the pen for the Monks. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Roberts registered a 3-for-4 effort with three runs scored. 
• Sorenti-Burns brought in four runs on a 2-for-3 plate performance with one run scored. He hit one double. 
• Iorio went 3-for-4 with one triple and three RBI to go along with a pair of stolen bases. 
• Colin Flynn tallied one hit and one walk. 
• Gilbride registered two walks one.
• Painter provided two runs and two walks.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk defeated Saint Joseph's (Maine) for the first time since April 28, 2019, a 3-1 win. 
• The Rams are 25-30 all-time against SJC. 
• Suffolk moved to 9-6 versus the Monks in the Anthony Del Prete era. 
• Salbego sat down a career-high nine batters and pitched a personal-best 7.0 innings.
• Sorenti-Burns logged a personal-best four RBI and tied a career-high two hits.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk returns to New England and is set to return to action Tuesday, March 19 versus Mass. Maritime at 3:30 p.m. at East Boston Memorial Park.