BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Cynthia Rucinski shoved a complete-game shutout, while her sister Diana Rucinski supplied the lone run to push Suffolk softball to a 1-0 victory over Bridgewater State in game one of a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Bridgewater State 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (15-16) | Bridgewater State (14-13)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Diana Rucinski tripled down the right field line to lead off the third inning. The junior capitalized on a wild pitch by the Bears twirler Olivia Hargreavens to send Suffolk on the board, 1-0.  

Bridgewater State managed to get a base runner in the first, second and third, and a pair in the fourth, but the blue-and-gold defense backed up Cynthia Rucinski to keep the advantage in the Rams' favor. 

Suffolk held onto its 1-0 lead as the game headed to the bottom of the seventh. A throwing error by the Rams short stop Lily Gustafson allowed BSU's lead-off hitter Riley Fitzgerald reach safely. She moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch and landed on third after Savanah DuBois laid down a bunt. When Angelina Lynch put the ball in play Fitzgerald made her move home, but Suffolk converted the play at the plate to keep the Bears scoreless. E Marcotte put a bunt down in the hopes of catching the Rams off guard by Jolie Quintana and Bella Rocha-Medeiros teamed up for the 53 ground out and seal up the victory.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Cynthia Rucinski compiled a three-hit, two-walk, eight-strikeout, complete-game shutout. 
• Hargreaves let up one run on four hits and one walk with six Ks to take the setback for the Bears.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Diana Rucinski went 1-for-2 with a triple and scored the only run of the day. 
• Maddie Southers, Gustafson and Rocha-Medeiros each added one hit apiece. 
• Quintana walked once.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Bridgewater State met for the first time since March 21, 2008. 
• The Rams defeated the Bears for the first time in program history. 
• Suffolk moved to 1-1 against BSU. 
• The blue-and-gold is 1-0 versus the Bears when playing in Bridgewater, Mass. 
• The shutout victory is the first for Suffolk since blanking Curry, 1-0, May 5, 2023. 
• Suffolk is now 1-2 when a team is kept off the scoreboard in the Megan Cook era.
• Diana Rucinski had the first extra-base hit of her collegiate career. 
• Cynthia Rucinski tossed her first collegiate shutout. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk looks to sweep the Bears tonight as its wraps up the non-conference twinbill.