Baseball Takes Two at Lasell with Impressive Offensive Performance

WALTHAM, MASS. – The bats came alive in the late innings of Game one for 13 runs and they continued through the closer Sunday night, as the Suffolk baseball team swept Lasell by scores of 13-8 and 17-1 at Stone Diamond on Brandeis' Campus. 

The Rams (17-5, 3-1 GNAC) sprinkled scores throughout both contests, but it was their efforts at the plate over the sixth and seventh innings - 21 runs - over the span of the doubleheader, that made the winning difference. Ten Rams hit better than .333 on the day as Suffolk stayed consistent at the plate with 23 hits over the two games - 10 in Game 1, 13 in Game 2 -  eight for extra bases. Sean Cameron had a day at the dish, hitting .800 (4-for-5) with seven RBI and three runs scored. Jake Frasca (.375) brought home five runs and scored three times himself. 

With all of the run production, the pressure was taken off of the Rams' hurlers. Ryan Pordes earned the starting nod in the first game, but left after giving up seven runs on sit hits, though he yield to Mark Fusco in the fifth.  With a sizable lead in tact, Cal Carroll came on in relief and was lights-out, punching out two Lasers (8-10, 0-2 GNAC) over 2.0 innings of work, issuing no hits or walks. His sixth save of the season not only secured the 13-8 victory, but secured the senior's spot in Suffolk's record books as the Methuen, Massachusetts product now sits atop the Rams' list for players with the most saves in a single season.

In game two, Kevin Sinatra got the call and tossed yet another stellar game to keep his undefeated mark in tact and improve to 4-0 on the year. Sinatra, who struck out eight, dealt all seven, giving up just three hits, one run and one walk during the complete game. 

GAME 1 - SUFFOLK 13, LASELL 8
The Rams shot out of the gates in the early going, putting the Lasers in a 5-0 whole after 2.5 innings of action. Three hits, including Frasca's three RBI homer, his second in as many days and third of the season, combined with three walks led to the quick start for Suffolk. Though Lasell plated a run in the fourth and followed that with a seven-run fifth to gain an 8-5 edge.

Suffolk's bats used sparks from pinch runners to catapult in front of Lasell after the sixth. Following a Drew Carter pop up to second base, Kevin Belskie fired a double to right field. Julien Plana pinch hit for Kevin Higgins, and singled to right to advance Belskie. BJ Neil took Plana's spot on first base and Cameron's single scored Belskie. Dan Berger replaced Matt Haskell on the hill for Lasell, but the Rams did not falter with the change. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third during Brady Chant's at bat and the Lasers' second straight mistake - another passed ball - allowed Neil to cross home and make it a one-run game. Berger was replaced on the bump by Hector Coscione and Greg Camarda came in at second, but yet again Suffolk was not flustered by the lineup change. Cameron came in on a Rob Marks single to left field to level the playing field and Cameron, who stole third during Seth Coiley's at bat, scored an unearned run on an error to take a 9-8 lead for Suffolk. 

After Carroll entered, things settled down for the Lasers', as the senior kept the Lasell bats quit, taking down the Lasers in order in the remaining two innings. 

GAME 2 - SUFFOLK 17, LASELL 1

Once again a quick start and solid pitching was the storyline for Suffolk in Game 2. The Rams jumped out to a 2-0 lead aafter two innings. Carter got things going in the top of the second with a a RBI single to center field and eventually came around thanks to Belskie's steal grabbing the defense's attention. 

A Lasell error and a double by Carter capped by Cameron's two-RBI stint at the plate pushed things to the 4-0 mark in just four frames. From there, though, Lasell broke open its scoreless affair with a two-out, single RBI by Tyler Flaherty. 

Carter and Belskie were awarded bases in the top of the sixth after being hit before Cameron doubled down the right field line to score Carter, his fourth RBI of the game. Plana, who pinch hit for Neil, contributed a sacrifice fly to plate Grogan and Chant boomed a ground-rule double to bring in Cameron and stretch Suffolk's lead to 7-1. 

Suffolk did not let up, however, instead it revved its engines in the seventh and cruised in 10 runs. Luke Ronchi and Jon Lapolla each drew walks to lead off the inning and Carter was also awarded first thanks to four balls after Frasca popped up to third baseman Flaherty With one out and the bases loaded, the runs started to come in. Zach Grogan got things going with a single and Cameron followed with a sac fly. Now with two outs against, the Rams tallied eight more runs to move the score to 17-1. 

The Rams would hold off any offense from Lasell, which managed just three hits in the game, to win 17-1. 

Suffolk steps out of GNAC play Tuesday, April 12 as it travels to Mass. Maritime for a 3:30 p.m. contest.