The semester is over, but Suffolk University sports are still active. With that comes a few playoff runs to talk about, and a special month of May edition of Michael’s Minute.
Suffolk baseball fights through CCC playoffs, run ended by WNE
Entering the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs as the third seed, baseball’s season came to an end just shy of a championship.
In the first game of the playoffs, Pierce Salbego had a good day on the mound while Alex Sorenti-Burns and Jonny Gilbride led the way at the plate in a 12-3 victory over the Wentworth Institute of Technology in East Boston May 7.
Fortunes changed for the Rams when they went down to Rhode Island. The Rams were stymied by Hawks pitching in a 3-1 loss against Roger Williams University May 9. Sam Armbruster provided the only Suffolk run of the day with a first inning RBI single. Garret Roberts was the starting pitcher and allowed all three Roger Williams runs.
The loss put a second game on the schedule for the Rams that day with a Wentworth rematch in an elimination game. It was another 3-1 score, but one that was in Suffolk’s favor as they got the necessary win to stay alive in the playoffs. Max Martin had a two-run single and Harry Painter provided an RBI double. Painter was also the starting pitcher and tossed a complete game, striking out 10 Wentworth hitters.
With one loss already, Suffolk was in another win-or-go-home scenario May 10 against Western New England University. The fifth-seeded Golden Bears picked up a convincing upset win, eliminating the Rams from the playoffs with a 12-2 victory. All four pitchers who threw for the Rams, Brett Bucklin, Cam Martin, Jack Raimo and Gregory Kaufmann, all allowed at least one run while Golden Bear pitching held the Rams’ offense to just five hits.
With the season over, the CCC announced their all-conference team selections for the end of the year. Bucklin was the lone Ram to make the first team. Roberts was announced to the second team as both a pitcher and a hitter, joined by Sorenti-Burns, Gilbride and Painter as hitters. Painter made the third team as a pitcher, joined by outfielder Colin Flynn.
Suffolk softball makes program history before shutout playoff loss to Roger Williams
Softball faced an extra hurdle to get into the CCC playoffs as they had to earn their spot in the play-in game against the University of New England May 7. The Rams got in as the sixth seed with a 2-0 shutout of the Nor’Easters.
Both Rams runs came in the sixth inning as Lily Gustafson drew a bases-loaded walk and Diana Rucinski added an RBI single. Lily Newhall was the starting pitcher for the Rams and tossed a complete game shutout, striking out two hitters and allowing seven hits. It was the first CCC playoff win in program history.
The play-in victory gave the Rams a second game that day, facing the third-seeded Nichols College Bison. Taking the lead with a four-run seventh inning, the Rams couldn’t hold the 6-5 lead in the bottom half. After forcing the game into extra innings with a 6-6 tie, Nichols came out on top 7-6 in 10 innings. Chelsea Indyk of Nichols was the only pitcher on either side who didn’t allow a run, as Indyk pitched three and two-thirds scoreless innings for the Bison to help seal the win.
The loss to Nichols led to an elimination game for the Rams against Roger Williams May 9. The Rams couldn’t get anything going at the plate or on the mound, getting shut out 7-0 by the Hawks as they were eliminated from championship contention.
Suffolk track & field makes strong showing at championship meets, new personal and school records set
While baseball and softball competed in the playoffs, the men’s and women’s track & field teams also wrapped up their seasons. Runners competed in the DIII New England Championships, the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Championships and the Farley inter regional extravaganza.
At the DIII New England Championships, Cam Fredette ran his second 10K and finished in 35:05.85 while Tim Barry ran the 800 in 1:57.42. For the women, Emily Concepcion set a personal record in the 400m with a 58.15 showing and Sydney Fogg set a 1500m personal best in 4:45.87.
Concepcion and Fogg also competed at the NEICAAA meet May 10 and 11. Fogg ran the 800m and set a personal best in the event with a 2:21.73 showing. Concepcion competed in the 400m again and ran a 59.56, good for 14th place in the field.
Thomas Novy was the lone Suffolk runner to compete at the Farley invitational, hosted by Williams College. Novy finished the 10K in 30:46.99, setting a personal and school record in the race. Matyas Csiki-Fejer held the previous school record at 30:47.31.
