SUFFOLK SWEEPS EC SOFTBALL IN GNAC DOUBLEHEADER

BOSTON, Mass. – The Suffolk University softball team collected a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference victories Wednesday evening over Emmanuel College at Clemente Field. The Rams took game one, 5-3, before earning an 8-3 victory in game two to improve to 3-9 on the year, 2-2 in the GNAC. The losses drop the Saints to 5-11 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

Game 1 Recap
The Rams got on the board early with three unearned runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to the 3-0 lead. Sophomore pitcher Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) led off the game with a single to center and advance to second on an Emmanuel miscue. Next up, sophomore catcher Nicole Rosa (Wallingford, Conn.) reached on another EC error to but two on with nobody out. Freshman third baseman Paige Stanley (Fair Haven, N.J.) walked to load the bases for sophomore second baseman Alicia Gonnella (Bridgewater, N.J.). Gonnella delivered a two-RBI single to right-center to make it 2-0 and Stanley would come around the score on a bases loaded walk to junior shortstop Nicole Isakson (Avon, Conn.) to account for the 3-0 score.

Suffolk would add two more runs in the second inning to increase its lead to 5-0. Chasse reached on an error to start the frame and Rosa reached on a single to put two on with nobody out for the second consecutive inning. An RBI single by Stanley made it 4-0 and an RBI groundout by Gonnella plated Rosa to account for the 5-0 score after two innings of action.

The Saints got on the board in the bottom of the third as freshman shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) homered for the second straight day, connecting on a two-run bomb to left-center field to make it a 5-2 game.

Emmanuel would make it a two-run game with a run in the sixth as Davis reached third following a pair of errors by the Rams. A single by junior designated player Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) plated Davis to make it 5-3. The Saints threatened to get more as junior catcher/flex Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) ran for Garrity and advanced to second with one out. The Saints would unfortunately run themselves out of the inning on a fly out double-play to end the scoring threat.

The Saints made it interesting in the seventh as freshman pitcher Val Kiers (West Warwick, R.I.) got into scoring position with the help of a Suffolk error, putting the tying run at the plate but Emmanuel was unable to capitalize as Suffolk held on for the 5-3 win.

For the Rams, Stanley finished the game going 2-2 with an RBI and run scored while freshman first baseman Brooke Brandt (Saint Paul, Minn.) and freshman centerfielder Meredith Ball (Nahant, Mass.) each finished the game going 2-4 at the plate.

Garrity led the Saints with a 2-3 showing, knocking in a run while Davis finished the game 1-3 with the homerun and two runs scored.

Chasse (1-5) earned the win on the hill for the Rams, going the distance and allowing the three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out nine. Kiers (2-5) was the tough-luck loser tossing seven innings and allowed five runs (one earned) on nine hits while recording six strikeouts.

Game 2 Recap

The Rams opened the scoring in game two, plating three runs all with two outs. After retiring the first two hitters, Suffolk had the next five batters reach base on four singles and a hit by pitch to take the early 3-0 lead. Ball started the two-out rally with a single to center and junior shortstop Nikki Cignarella (Norwood, Mass.) reached next after getting plunked in the hip. Next up in the no. 9 spot, freshman left fielder Nicole Isakson (Avon, Conn.) delivered an RBI single to right-center to plate Ball. Chasse kept the rally going with an RBI single to left-center to make it 2-0 before Rosa squeaked a single through the left side to plate to make it 3-0.

The game remained at 3-0 until Emmanuel plated a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the visitor's lead to 3-1.  With one out, Lloid was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Sophomore first baseman Alex Bressettte (North Easton, Mass.) drove her in with an RBI double to left center to cut the Rams lead to 3-1.

After two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth, freshman left fielder Jenna Marcello (Hopedale, Mass.) made it a one-run game, blasting a homerun to centerfield to make it 3-2.

The Rams got the run right back in the top of the sixth as freshman pitcher Julia Ludvigsen (Dedham, Mass.) led off with a single and made her way around the base paths, eventually scoring on a wild pitch to  make it 4-2. The Rams would threaten to blow the game open, loading the bases with just one out but Emmanuel was able to escape the jam ending the inning with a double-play to preserve the two-run deficit.

The Saints plated a single run for the third straight inning in the sixth to make it 4-3. Garrity led off with a single to left and replaced on the bases by freshman centerfield/flex Marianne Halas (Lynn, Mass.). Halas swiped second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before coming around on an RBI double by junior third baseman Kayla Howard (Belmont, N.H.). With Howard in scoring position and just one out, Emmanuel was unable to bring the tying run across to leave them down one  heading into the final frame.

Suffolk blew the game open in the seventh, scoring four runs to push its lead to 8-3. The Rams sent nine batters to the plate, collecting five hits en route to their biggest inning of the doubleheader.

On in relief for the final two innings, Gonnella closed the door on the Saints in the seventh to preserve the 8-3 win and earn the save.  Ludvigsen (1-0) earned the win going five innings and allowing two runs on four hits while Lloid (3-4) suffered the loss for EC.