This week in Suffolk University sports: Baseball has winning week, softball sees more doubleheader splits, lacrosse drops crucial conference games, men’s tennis wins first game and outdoor track & field concludes regular season.
Baseball has winning week
Taking on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology April 17, baseball snapped a six game losing streak with a 13-7 road win over the Engineers.
A bullpen day on the mound for the Rams resulted in seven runs allowed, but a potent offense gave the Rams the win. Colin Flynn widened the gap in the fourth inning with a three-run home run, and, with the Rams ahead 9-3 in the seventh inning, Max Martin mashed a grand slam to give the Rams a comfortable lead.
Against Curry College in a doubleheader April 19, the Rams swept the doubleheader to secure three straight wins. Suffolk won game one 6-3 thanks to five runs over the final two innings, aided by a two-run home run by Sebastian Lampert in the eighth inning. Game two was never close, as a 18-3 rout by the Rams gave them a mercy rule victory. Martin hit his second grand slam in three games while Max Iorio added a grand slam of his own as a nine-run third inning set the tone for a Suffolk rout early.
On marathon Monday, the Rams had a doubleheader against the Wentworth Institute of Technology. Thanks to a solo home run by Colin Flynn and an RBI single by Cole Hilliard, Suffolk won the first game by a 2-1 score. In the second game, despite Max Martin homering to give the Rams five straight games with a home run, Suffolk wound up on the wrong side of a 6-5 walk-off win.
Against Endicott College at home April 22, the Rams found themselves on the other end of a lopsided affair against the number three nationally ranked Gulls. The Gulls scored early and often on the Rams pitching staff, shutting them out 19-0 in a mercy rule victory.
Softball splits pair of doubleheaders
Softball had two doubleheaders in Conference of New England play, splitting both against Curry and Roger Williams University.
Two runs in the first inning of game one against Curry were all the Colonels needed to win the first game. In game two, the Rams stormed back from a 5-3 deficit with six runs in the sixth inning to pick up a 9-6 win to improve to 5-2 in CNE play and 11-12 overall.
In game one against Roger Williams, Suffolk was handed a 4-0 loss by the Hawks as the Rams offense was held to just two hits. After coughing up a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning in game two, Diana Rucinski hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the inning to give Suffolk a key 2-1 win to split the doubleheader.
Lacrosse loses pivotal conference games
Needing to win to secure a spot in the CNE playoffs in their inaugural season, lacrosse lost 21-5 to Endicott on the road April 16 and 17-7 to Nichols College in a April 19 road matchup.
Against the Gulls, the Rams scored just once in the first and fourth quarters while being kept off the scoreboard in the second quarter. Ally Colburn scored three of the Rams five goals and assisted on the other two.
The Rams’ offensive struggles continued a few days later against the Bison, scoring once in the first and fourth quarters, twice in the second quarter and three times in the third. Colburn’s two goals against the Bison gave her 75 goals on the season, but it still resulted in a loss for the Rams in a game they needed to win to clinch a playoff spot.
Men’s golf competes at Rhode Island College invite
At the Rhode Island College spring invitational, men’s golf teed off to a fourth place finish out of nine teams competing.
The Rams shot a 641 over both days, beating CNE rival Gordon College while losing to CNE foe Roger Williams, who won the invitational with a 617. Ryan Mollica shot a 158 to secure a share of 14th place individually, the highest mark out of all Suffolk golfers. Jake Zirlin was right behind him in 16th place with a 159, while Trey Connolly, Vijay Sakuru, Christopher Sinopoli and Michael Gallagher also competed for the Rams.
Men’s tennis wins season finale for first win
Facing Endicott in a rescheduled CNE match, men’s tennis fell to the Gulls 6-1. Dropping to 0-11 on the season, Henry Blanchard ensured the Rams would not be shut out, picking up his second singles win of the season.
Against Curry College in the final game of the regular season, the Rams swept the Colonels 7-0 to avoid a winless season. The Rams end the season with a 1-11 record as they won all doubles and singles matches against the Colonels.
Outdoor track & field wraps up regular season
Men’s and women’s outdoor track & field wrapped up the regular season schedule at the Sean Collier Invitational April 18 and 19.
A series of personal bests headlined the weekend for the Rams, with four qualifying for the DIII New England championships in the process. Graduate student Michael Makiej broke his own record in the high jump as well, clearing 1.93 meters.
