EAST BOSTON – Suffolk softball slipped to Endicott in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader after the Gulls used a hot sixth-inning stretch to defeat the Rams, 8-6, Wednesday night at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 6 | Endicott 8 
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-12) | Endicott (5-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
In the home half the second with Ashley Zulla on first thanks to a hopping single through the left side, Savannah Scripter blasted a ball out of the yard in right center to five Suffolk a 2-0 gap.  

Endicott used small ball to slice the deficit in half in its next turn at the dish. With the bases chucked behind a traditional single from Zoe Rose and bunt singles by Chrissy Marotto and Katie Watts, Keelin Spencer sacrificed herself to trim the Rams' lead to 2-1.  

Suffolk restored its multi-run margin in the bottom of the third. Rebecca Gonzalez and Bianca Luciano sandwiched singles around a base on balls from Caitlin Murphy to put all the ducks in the pond. Gonzalez scored thanks to Ally Cifaratta's sac fly to center. Zulla pushed Luciano and Murphy to second and third on an unassisted ground out to first before an overthrow by Gulls shortstop Spencer during Scripters at bat let Suffolk's speedsters score to push the score to 5-1. 

Runs continued to be traded as Endicott knocked back-to-back bombs in the top of the fourth to center field to pull within two, 5-3. 

Suffolk was held scoreless for the first time since the opening inning, which allowed the Gulls to get back more ground in the top of the fifth. Another ball over the fence for Endicott came this time off Watts' bats to cut the edge to one, 5-4. That homer was the final throw for Constance Phelan as Jaclyn Davis gave designated hitter Leina Belog the ball in the circle from there. 

Belog took over with no outs and had to shake off the rust before really getting going. Thankfully, the Rams defense backed up the righthander as Cifaratta made a highlight-reel, leaping, line-out grab at the hot corner for the second out.  

The Rams saw the Gulls homers and hit one of their own as Zulla joined the jack fun with a two-out bomb to left field in the bottom of the fifth to add insurance for the hosts, 6-4. 

Endicott put together a two-out rally in the top of the sixth. The Gulls persistence paid off as the visitors tacked on two runs to even the score and added a pair more to flip the script in its favor, 8-6.

Maria Hanchuck came in to deal for the Gulls and the reliever took care of business. After an error by the first baseman, Hanchuck sat down the next three Rams, all swinging, to hold onto the two-run cushion for Endicott. 

Belog handled her own in the circle with just one base runner and a pair of swinging punchouts to keep the distance at two as the game headed to the bottom of the seventh. 

It was three-up, three-down for Hanchuck, who saved the win for Endicott.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Despite not giving up a single earned run, Belog suffered the setback. The Rams' reliever allowed four unearned runs on three hits and three walks with three punchouts in 3.0 innings.
• Phelan started in the circle and let up four runs on seven hits with a pair of Ks in 4.0 frames. 
• Gwen Stafford moved to 2-0 on the year with a one-run, two-hit, four-strikeout effort in 2.0 frames. 
• Hanchuck registered the save with 2.0 innings of scoreless, hitless relief with three strikeouts. 
• Jaylin Couto started for Endicott and gave up five runs, three earned, on five hits and one walk. Couto recorded three strikeouts.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Scripter and Zulla had four of Suffolk's seven hits with two apiece. The pair both had one home run apiece. 
• Scripter brought in two runs and scored one herself, while Zulla's run output was reversed with two runs scored and one RBI. 
• Belog, Luciano and Gonzalez all provided one hit each. 
• Luciano, Muprhy and Gonzalez each scored once. 
• Cifaratta chipped in one RBI.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk had multiple jacks for the third time this season, first since barreling a pair in a 7-0 shutout of Wentworth March 27, 2021. 
• Scripter hit her third collegiate homer. 
• Zulla knocked her third home run this season. 
• Gonzalez matched a career-high one hit.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams and Gulls wrap up its non-conference double feature tonight.