Baseball Bests Nichols, 7-2

HARTFORD, Conn.  – The Suffolk baseball team snapped a five-game skid Thursday night as the Rams defeated Nichols, 7-2, at Trinity's DiBenedetto Stadium. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 7, Nichols 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-13) | Nichols (6-12) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Each side was retired in the first before Suffolk open the second in the second. Seth Coiley led off with a double to left center and Greg Speliotis moved his classmate to third with a sac bunt. Blasé Cormier's single up the middle was enough to bring in Coiley and give the Rams a 1-0 edge.  

The Bison equalized the score an inning later and the score remained 1-all heading into the top of the fifth.  

Brady Chant kept Suffolk's offense alive after back-to-back strikeouts. The senior centerfielder knocled a single left field and an error by Nichols' first baseman allowed Trevor Lee to reach first and Chant move up tot third. Will Hopkins plated the go-ahead run with a single to left field and two batters later Speliotis picked up two RBI on a single to right center to give the blue-and-gold a 4-1 advantage. 

Suffolk held the Bison in the home half of the fifth and again in the sixth before adding another run to its total in the seventh. Nichols' relief pitcher Stigerik McElhinney came in and walked the first three Rams' hitters to load the bases, which set up Tim Brigham's RBI. The pinch hitter wore a pitch to allow Coiley to struth in and push Suffolk's lead to 5-1.  

The team's traded runs in the eighth and Suffolk added its final run of the night in the ninth, courtesy of a sac fly by Ben Isaak.  

Parker Browne came in to take over for Suffolk starter Charles Batchelder. After a lead-off single, the freshman arm gained composre to secure the 7-2 win for the Rams.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Batchelder picked up the win behind a solid performance on the mound. In 8.0 innings, the junior allowed two runs on five hits and two walks withs even strikeouts. 
• Parker came out of the pen for the final frae. 
• Seven different Nichols hurlers took the hill. Vincent Amato suffered the setback after giving up four runs on eighth hits and one walk with three Ks. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Cormier had the most productive day at the dish with a 2-for-3 effort with one RBI and a pair of walks. 
• As the designated hitter, Spelitotis put together a 1-for-2 showing with two RBI and two base-on-balls. 
• Lee had a multi-hit outing with two hits to his credit to go along with two runs and one stolen base. 
• Chant, Coiley, Gilbride, Hopkins and Shamnoski each had one hit apiece. 
• Coiley contributed two runs, while Chant, Hopkins and Gilbride all scored on run each for the Rams. 
• Coiley was the lone batter to have an extra-base hit, recording a double. 
• Brigham, Hopkins and Isaak all had one RBI on their stat lines. 
• Gilbride swiped two bases.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Nichols renewed a rivalry, meeting for the first time since 2003. 
• The Rams won their fourth straight outing versus the Bison to grab an 18-17 edge in the all-time series. 
• Isaak tallied his first colleigate RBI with the first sac fly of his collegiate career.
• Gilbride stole a personal-best two bases.
• Cormier matched career-bests in hits (2) and RBI (1).
• Lee scored a season-high two runs, while matching a season-best two hits.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk begins its GNAC title defense this weekend as it opens conference play on the road at Albertus Magnus and Lasell. The Rams will first visit the Falcons Saturday, April 7, before stopping by the Lasers Sunday, April 8.