Baseball, Lasell Tangle in GNAC Second Round Thursday

BOSTON – Since 2000 the Suffolk baseball team has been a part of the GNAC Tournament field and the 2017 bracket is no different as the second-seeded Rams begin their quest to three-peat and make its seventh straight trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 7 p.m. showdown against third-seeded Lasell at East Boston Memorial Park. 

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THE SCHEDULE
First Round – Tuesday, May 2 (Single Elimination)
GAME 1: #3 Lasell defeated #6 Albertus Magnus, 18-12
GAME 2: #4 JWU defeated #5 Norwich, 7-6

Second Round – Thursday, May 4 (Double-Elimination Begins)
GAME 3: Game 1 Winner at #2 Suffolk – 7 PM
GAME 4: Game 2 Winner at #1 St. Joseph's (Maine) – 3:30 PM

Semifinals – Saturday, May 6 (Hosted by Rivier at Holman Stadium)
GAME 5: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser (Elimination Game) – 12 PM
GAME 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner – 3 PM
Game 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (Elimination Game) – 6 PM

Championship – Sunday, May 7 (Hosted by Rivier at Holman Stadium)
GAME 8: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner – 1 PM
GAME 9: if necessary – 4 PM

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk prepped for the GNAC tournament with a doubleheader regional powerhouse Endicott and a takedown of then-No. 13/18 Salve Regina. 

Eight of the Rams' nine everyday starters are hitting over. 300 anchored by Suffolk's upperclassmen. Kevin Belskie and Luke Ronchi lead the way with a .339 averages as the former owns 38 hits, 31 RBI and 22 runs scored, while the latter brings in 40 hits, 28 RBI and 32 runs scored. Brady Chant is a threat in nearly every offensive category as the junior centerfielder owns 49 hits, 27 RBI and 27 runs scored with a slash line of .327/.394/.600. 

Suffolk's staff is propelled by the arms of Mark Fusco, Chuck Gibson and Ryan Pordes. Fusco's 1.24 ERA leads the way as the junior right-handed pitcher owns a 3-3 record in seven appearances, five starts with 29.0 innings of work and 19 Ks. Gibson joins Fusco with a sub 2.00 ERA, coming in at 1.97 through a 45.2 frames and has fanned 30 hitters. Pordes, who has seen the most action on the hill for the Rams, 54.0 innings, rounds out the trio with a 3.83 ERA and 41 strikeouts.    

LAST TIME OUT
With two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the 10th with the score tied at 7-all, Kevin Higgins made the most of his lone hit of the night, as the sophomore brought in the go-ahead run to boast Suffolk baseball to a walk-off win over then-No. 13/18 Salve Regina at East Boston Memorial Park May. 1.   

MORE READING: Higgins Hits Baseball Past #13/18 Salve Regina in 10

SUFFOLK IN THE GNAC TOURNEY
The Rams will be making their 18th straight appearance in the GNAC Tournament since joining the conference in 2000. Suffolk has escaped the do-or-die each of the six times it has to play in the tournament's first round and reached the championship series on 14 occasions, including the past 10 seasons, capturing the title six times. Overall, the Rams are 44-21 in GNAC post-season play.

Suffolk has won three of its six conference crowns as the tournament's second seed.

LASERS LOOK
Lasell, the tournament's third seed, defeated Albertus Magnus, 18-12, Tuesday night to advance to the second-round of the GNAC Tournament.

Dom Mascolo and Skylar Beckerman are the Laser's leaders at bat. Mascolo hits .414 with 39 hits, 20 RBI and 21 runs scored, while Beckerman leads the way with 39 hits, 21 RBI and 25 runs scored on a .394 average.

Daniel Petr is Lasell's starting arm with the lowest Era of 3.98 in 41.1 frames with 23 strikeouts. Casey Johnson has seen the most action on the hill, 45.2 innings, and owns a 5.91 ERA with 22 Ks.

WE MEET AGAIN
Two days removed from lifting Suffolk baseball to victory, Sean Cameron did it again with another walk-off single to send the Rams over Lasell, 4-3, Sunday night at East Boston Memorial Park April 23. 

MORE READING: Cameron Does It Again, Baseball Walks Off With 4-3 Win Over Lasell 

EYES ON THE GAME

NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES
Brady Chant added more accolades to his growing resume as the junior won this week's national poll conducted by Herosports.com as the Offensive HERO of the Week in Division III baseball. 

MORE READING: Chant Snags Vote: Named HeroSports.com DIII Offensive HERO of the Week 

TRIPLE TRANSCRPIT
Brady Chant rewrote the Rams' record books on Patriots Day as the junior knocked his 10th triple of the season bringing his career total to 20 to sit atop Suffolk's single-season all-time triple marks. 

MORE READING: Chant Sets Suffolk's Triple Record 

COMING UP
Thursday night's winner from Eastie advances to the winner bracket and will take on the victor of top seed No. 16/18 St. Joseph's (Maine) and fourth-seed Johnson & Wales Saturday, May 6 at 3 p.m. at Holman Stadium. The losers of each contest open up Saturday's double-elimination action at the historic stadium at noon.