This week in Suffolk University sports: Baseball and softball handed quick playoff exits and track & field wraps up season at pair of meets.
Baseball handed back-to-back playoff losses
Baseball took on Western New England University in the first round of the Conference of New England playoffs May 7, getting routed 11-1 by the Golden Bears.
The Golden Bears had a 5-0 lead after three innings. In the fourth, the Rams scored their lone run of the day thanks to an RBI single by Sam Armbruster. Suffolk hitters couldn’t solve Golden Bears pitcher Jared Kuryan, who allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out five Rams hitters in a complete game. Nick Arnett allowed five runs in three innings pitched for Suffolk, while Anthony Ferreira allowed four runs in four innings and Colin McNeal gave up a pair of runs in one inning pitched.
In the loser’s bracket, the Rams took on the University of Hartford a day later. A much more competitive game ended with another tough result for the Rams, who lost 10-9 in extra innings, walk-off fashion to bring their season to an end.
Hartford had a 3-0 lead entering the fifth inning before RBI singles from Max Martin and Colin Flynn plus an RBI double from Max Iorio and a run-scoring groundout from Chris Cimino put Suffolk ahead 4-3 in the top of the fifth inning. Entering the eighth, the Hawks had a 6-4 lead before the Rams tied the game.
Suffolk scored twice more in the top of the ninth to take a 8-6 lead before the Hawks came back to tie it, forcing extra innings. Mike Mullaney scored in the top of the 10th inning on a sacrifice fly from Iorio to put the Rams ahead 9-8. However, Hartford walked it off in the bottom of the inning thanks to a pair of RBI singles off Suffolk pitcher Jack Raimo.
Pierce Salbego was the starting pitcher for the Rams and allowed six runs while striking out eight hitters in seven innings pitched. Raimo pitched the remainder of the game and took the loss. For the Hawks, Ryan Sheehy allowed four runs in six innings pitched, Luke Rier was responsible for two runs, Michael Greco had a scoreless appearance and Michael Featherstone got the win despite allowing three runs in two innings.
Softball’s offense goes quiet in playoff elimination
Softball kicked off the CNE playoffs May 7 against Roger Williams University. Cynthia Rucinski, the starting pitcher for the Rams, walked in a run in the fourth inning to put the Hawks ahead 1-0. That would be all Roger Williams would need on offense, as Raegen Germano shined on the mound. Suffolk only reached base on a pair of walks as they were no-hit by Germano in a 1-0 win for the Hawks.
Suffolk took on Nichols College the next day, being shut out 4-0 by the Bison to bring their season to an end.
All four Bison runs came in the fourth inning on two RBI singles and a two-run double off Rucinski. Lily Newhall pitched three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief for the Rams, but it was all for naught as they couldn’t solve Nichols pitcher Chelsea Indyk. It was a complete game shutout for Indyk, who allowed six hits while walking no one and striking out three Rams.
Outdoor track & field tackles two coasts to end season
Outdoor track & field wrapped up the season at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Championships in Amherst, Massachusetts and the Franson Last Chance meet in Azusa, California.
Graduate student Michael Makiej represented the Rams at the NEICAAA championships in the high jump. Makiej cleared 1.91 meters to finish in seventh place out of the 24 jumpers competing.
Senior Tim Barry competed in the 800 meter run at the Franson Last Chance meet, crossing the finish line in 1:57.50. That put him in 60th place out of 99 runners. Graduate student Sydney Fogg competed in the five-kilometer race, finishing in 19:06.88 in her second five-kilometer of the outdoor season. Her time was good for a 37th place finish in the field of 41 runners.
