Baseball Sets Its Sights on Spring Break Trip

BOSTON – After opening the season in New England for the first time in program history, the Suffolk baseball team has traveled to the Sunshine State where the Rams will play 10 games over nine days at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. 

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RUSSMATT CENTRAL FLORIDA INVITATIONAL
The annual RussMatt Central Florida Invitational hosts over 200 colleges across all divisions for their Spring Break trips. Suffolk's tournament field features Clarkson, Gallaudet, Kalamzaoo, Keene State, Montclair State, Pattsburgh State, Ripon, UMass Boston and Westfield State over nine days at three different locations.

LAST TIME OUT
Playing in New England in the season opener for the first time in the 69-year program history, the Suffolk baseball team was just two runs shy from capturing the victory as Salem State defeated the Rams, 6-5, Tuesday afternoon.

Kyle Turner picked up the starting nod Tuesday, going 4.2 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits, while striking out eight and yielding no walks. The eight Ks are a career high for the senior from Nashua, New Hampshire, and the most strikeouts by a hurler in blue-and-gold since Josh Desai '15 threw nine in a 1-0 setback in the New England Regional to Williams May 2, 2015. Ryan Pordes went the remaining 2.1 innings and limited the Vikings to three hits to keep the Rams in the game.

At the plate, six different Rams connected for hits, totaling seven on the day, led by Rob Marks' eventful afternoon (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI). Sean Cameron (2-for-2, 2R), Seth Coiley (1-for-3, 2 RBI), Matt Brenner (1 RBI) and Jake Frasca (1R, 1 RBI added to the cause.

MORE READING: Salem Edges Baseball, 6-5, in Season Opener

SCOUTING THE FLORIDA FIELD

• MONTCLAIR STATE – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS
  Montclair State arrived in Winter Haven, Florida last week and picked up three consecutive victories, before dropping four straight to slip to 3-4 on the young season. The Red Hawks will take the diamond Thursday versus Husson before teeing off against the Rams Friday morning at 11 a.m.
  
  Six different bats are producing over .300 batting averages led by Peter Pena's .444 (4-for-9). Joe Foote, meanwhile, has seen action in all seven games to put together a .435 clip on 10 hits in 23 at bats. He brought home four runners and crossed home plate five times himself. Ryan Thieme (10-for-27) and Keith Murphy (10-for-28) have also tallied 10 hits each, with Kevin Campbell's nine falling closely behind (9-for-24).
  
  Nine different hurlers have stepped on the mound for MSU with Austin Minto leading the staff with six punchouts in 7.0 innings pitched, but has given up five runs.
  
   
• GALLAUDET – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS
  Gallaudet is 13 games into its 2016 campaign as it heads to the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. At 3-10, the Bison open up their Florida trip with the Rams Saturday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m.
  
  Zack Crawford leads the charge for the Bison at the dish, going 13-for-38 (.342) in 12 games played. He's belted out four doubles and one triple en route to plating four runs and scoring 10 himself. Cameron Upton (.288) leads all Gallaudet batts with 15 RBI, while managing to score nine himself. Dylan Hayes has brought home 11 runs, while scoring six himself.
  
  On the mound, Gallaudet features a solid rotation of hurlers, including Albert Blake (20.2 IP, 3.48 ERA). Blake Phillips (18.2 IP, 4.82 ERA) leads the team with 20 K's.
  
   
• CLARKSON – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS (2015)
  Clarkson throws its first pitch of 2016 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Thursday, March 11 with a doubleheader against Rowan and will face Suffolk Sunday, March 13 at 4 p.m.
  
  The Golden Knights return 261.2 of a possible 264 innings from last year's pitching staff, which ranked second in the Liberty League. Sophomore Will Coleman looks to lead the charge as he returns for his second collegiate season after a strong debut of a team-best 45.1 IP and a 5-0 ledger to go with four saves.
  
  Clarkson's field, however, has lost five key contributes from a year ago. Greg Jasek, who also sees time on the hill, and Colemane are two of the key returning bats. The pair was second and third on the team in hits last season and Jasek led the squad with 33 RBI.
  
   
• PLATTSBURGH STATE – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS
  Plattsburgh State has seen a rocky opening to its season, going 1-6 through its first seven contests. The Cardinals lone victory came over John Jay, 9-3, March 4.
  
  Ray Flynn has had two multiple hit games, putting him atop the order in hits with six. Manny Boccinii (2-for-7) and Ryan Whalen (2-for-5) have brought in two runs each, while T.J. Montalbano has come home a team-best four times.
  
  On the hill, five different players have combined for starts with Kory Hutchins getting the nod twice. The sophomore rightie has pitched 10.2 innings, allowing 19 hits, 16 runs for a 12.66 ERA. Andrew Kramer, meanwhile, has thrown a team-high 12.1 innings, with 17 hits coming off his pitches and six runs coming in for a 3.65 ERA.
  
   
• WESTFIELD STATE – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS (2015)
  The Owls of Westfield State head south to open up their season with 17 veterans and 14 new faces on their roster. With six returning starting position players and a deep pitching staff, the Owls look to build off a 2015 season in which they finished with a 20-13 overall record, posted a 6-8 mark in the MASCAC and lost in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
  
  Westfield's action at the RussMatt Central Florida invitational gets underway with a doubleheader against Dicksinson Saturday, March 12 with the Owls facing the Rams on Tuesday, March 15.
  
   
• RIPON – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS (2015)
  Ripon has reloaded its roster after losing nine seniors to graduation including its top two hitters and pitchers that helped the Red Hawks to a 14-2 Midwest Conference mark last year en route to their four MWC Championship in six years and 21st overall.
  
  Suffolk will be the fifth team to take on Ripon in Winter Haven, Florida, as the Red Hawks prep for the Rams with Coe, Wheaton, Anderson and Wisconsin LaCrosse. Ripon's action gets underway Saturday, March 12.
  
   
• UMASS BOSTON – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS
  The Beacons have two games under their belts before they headed to the Sunshine State. UMass shutout MIT, 4-0, to open the season, before being trumped by Lasell, 4-1.
  
  Sal Frosceno's bat leads the way for UMass with the sophomore hitting going 3-for-4 for a .750 average to go along with 2 RBI. Four other Beacons average over .300 in Lionell Danielson (1-for-3, 1RBI), Bryan Dupre (2-for-6), Anthony Searles (2-for-6, 1 RBI), and Ray Zincone (1-for-3).
  
  Dan Mantoni paces UMass on the mound with the junior right-hander throwing 3.0 innings for a 0.00 ERA with one strikeout. Frosceno has also seen action on the hill with 2.0 IP, giving up two hits and two runs.
  
   
• KALAMAZOO – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS
  Kalamazoo went 1-2 in a series at Earlham to get its year going as the Hornets bring a 1-2 record to the RussMatt Central Florida Invite. Kalamazoo warms up in the Sunshine State against Knox on St. Patrick's day before meeting Suffolk Friday, March 18 at 3 p.m.
  
  Jordan Wiley leads the team with his .500 average, while Mitchell VanKoevering has belted out four hits. VanKoevering has been a pure run-producing machine, bringing home 2 RBI in the process along with Jose Reutuer (4-for-12) and Ian Kobernick (3-for-11).
  
  Ryan Orr's arm has been the staple for the Hornets with the sophomore rightie has fanned five batters in seven full innings of work.
  
  
  
• KEENE STATE STATE – TEAM WEBSITE – STATS
  Keene State earned a season-opening series split at William Paterson March 6 to bring a 1-1 record to Florida. Similar to Suffolk, the Owls get underway March 11 with close out their spring training trip with the Rams Saturday, March 19.
  
  A trio of bats in Joe Libby (.667), Christian Bourgea (.429) and Vinny Parilla (.400) lead the charge for Keene this season. Bourgea has a team-best three hits and adds three RBI and one run scored. Libby and Parilla each have two hits and one run to their credit, respectively.
  
  Cody Dube and Kevin Guild have each started on the hill for the Owls while Keith Simpson owns Keene's lone victory. In relief, Simson threw 3.1 innings and faced 12 batters, allowing just three hits and no runs for a 0.00 ERA. Dube is 0-1 despite fanning 10 batters in 6.2 innings of work with seven hits, two runs and one walk against. Guild's 3.2 innings of action and 7.36 ERA rounds out the Owls' active hurlers. 

COMING UP
Suffolk will return to New England Tuesday, March 22 where it will begin a four-game road swing at Bridgewater State (3:30 p.m.), before opening up its home slate versus MIT Monday, March 28 at 4 p.m.