Baseball Splits With JWU on Saturday

The Suffolk University Baseball team and Johnson & Wales University Wildcats split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Scots Miracle Gro Complex in Providence. Johnson & Wales took game on 2-1 behind a complete game four hitter by junior Jake Marchessault (Wyoming, R.I.). Suffolk would rebound scoring six runs in the first inning of game two to cruise to a 9-2 victory in the night cap.

Game One: Johnson & Wales 2 Suffolk 1

Suffolk jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top half of the second inning when junior Jon Lapolla (Providence, R.I.) led the inning off with a double to right center. With two outs, junior Drew Carter (Newburyport, Mass.) reached on an infield error that plated Lapolla for the first run of the contest.

Johnson & Wales had their only offensive scoring inning in the third.

Sophomore Chris Baldwin (Pawtucket, R.I.) led the inning off with a base hit to right. Sophomore Lou Umberto (Cranston, R.I.) would the reach base on an infield error. After a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, senior Kory Ferullo (Rochester, N.H.) drove in both runs with a base hit to left.

Suffolk had a chance to take the lead in the seventh. Sophomore Luke Ronchi (Randolph, N.J.) would single with one out to right, before Carter followed him with a base hit advancing Ronchi to third. Carter would steal second with two outs, but Marchessault would record the final out of the game with his fourth strikeout of the contest.

The win was Marchessault's first of the 2015 season.

Sophomore Chuck Gibson (Malden, Mass.) was the tough luck loser on the mound for Suffolk. He struck out six in six innings of work while allowing two runs, one earned on six hits.

Game Two: Suffolk 9 Johnson & Wales 2

Suffolk staked themselves early to a 6-0 lead following their first at bat to start game two. Junior Julien Plana (Miami, Fla.) knocked home the game's first run as he drove a base hit in the left center gap that was misplayed scoring sophomore Sean Cameron (Milford, Conn.). After a walk to Lapolla, senior JC Collette (Amesbury, Mass.) drove in a pair with a double to center. After an infield error, Carter would hit his third home run of the year, a three run opposite field homer to give Suffolk the big lead.

Freshman Jake Flax (Wyckoff, N.J.) moved to 2-1 on the season on the mound as he threw a complete game. Flax allowed just three hits and no earned runs in his seven innings. He struck out three.

Collette finished game two reaching base in all four of his plate appearances. He was 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Cameron was 2-for-3 with two runs score. Both Carter and Lapolla drew two walks a piece in game two.

The split moves Suffolk to an 8-12 overall record on the year and 4-2 mark in GNAC play.

They will be back in action on Sunday afternoon when they host Albertus Magnus College at noon in a GNAC doubleheader at Adams Field in Quincy.