Baseball Preps for NCAAs with Twinbill at Endicott Friday

MAY 11 | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM NORTH FIELD BEVERLY, MASS. GAME 1: LIVE STATS | VIDEO GAME 1: LIVE STATS | VIDEO
Series Record - Suffolk Trails, 10-15 Last Meeting - April 29, 2018, W, 7-4 Last Suffolk Win - SAME  Streak - W1 Eyes on the Game

BOSTON – Two weeks ago Suffolk baseball got ready for the 2018 GNAC Tournament with a non-conference clash at Endicott and prep for the upcoming 2018 NCAA DIII Regional will be no different as the Rams and Gulls battle in a doubleheader Friday, May 11. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2 p.m. at North Field in Beverly, Massachusetts.

After the GNAC regular season is closed for the Rams, they will venture to Beverly, Massachusetts, Sunday, April 29 for a rematch at Endicott. 

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LAST TIME OUT
The top-seeded Suffolk baseball team built an early lead and held off each comeback by second-seed Saint Joseph's (Maine) to defeat the Monks, 6-5, Sunday afternoon at Larry Mahaney Diamond and hoist the GNAC Championship trophy for the fourth consecutive season.

MORE READING:  GNAC Champs! Baseball Fourpeats with 6-5 Win over St. Joe's

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk locked up its fourth consecutive conference crown last Saturday to improve to 24-16 on the season. The Rams, who will make their eighth overall appearance in the NCAA DIII Regional bracket, look to extend their six-game win streak Friday. 

Brady Chant has been the catalyst to Suffolk's success as the 2018 GNAC Player of the Year has produced team-leading numbers in nearly every offensive category. The senior centerfielder, who is batting .357, has 56 hits, 34 RBI, 34 runs and 22 stolen bases on his stat line. Seth Coiley (.318, 42 H, 18 RBI, 27 R) and Blasé Cormier (.306, 41 H, 25 RBI, 23 R) are also consistent contributors at the plate. 

Suffolk's staff is buoyed by a wealth of upperclassmen experience with four of its arms garnering all-league accolades. Mark Fusco anchors the core starters with a 2.49 ERA over 50.2 innings with 37 strikeouts with Kevin Sinatra also coming in sub 3.00 with an ERA of .265 over 54.1 frames and 32 punchouts. Charles Batchelder (3.61 ERA, 57.1 IP, 35 Ks) and Ryan Pordes (5.43 ERA, 59.2 IP, 47 Ks) are also in the rotation for the Rams, while Tyler Zell (2.25 ERA, 36.0 IP, 26 Ks) has seen multiple starts as well. Jake Flax has proven his ability as Suffolk's closer with the junior RHP bringing in a 0.90 ERA over 10.0 innings with 13 Ks, four saves and 1-0 mark.

GET TO KNOW THE GULLS
Endicott (26-16) was eliminated from its conference tournament, the CCC, after Salve Regina, walked off, 6-5, in the 13th inning versus the Gulls. 

Michael DeDonato is the most potent at the plate as the senior second baseman has team-high numbers in batting average (.398), hits (68), RBI (34), runs scored (38) and stolen bases (39). Senior outfielder Brad Rebello is also a big threat with 46 hits on a .326 connection rate at the dish for 17 RBI and 30 runs scored. 

The Gulls top two arms are Will Ferreira and Alexander Mandrus. Ferreira, a southpaw, brings in a 4.84 ERA with 29 Ks through 48.1 innings, while Mandrus holds an ERA of 2.64 with 36 strikeouts over 47.2 frames.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk and Endicott will meet for the third time this season Friday with game one marking the 25th clash all-time between the non-conference foes. Overall, the Rams trail the all-time series, which began in 1999, 10-15.

WE MEET AGAIN
Trailing by two heading into the sixth inning, the Suffolk baseball team rallied a comeback to defeat Endicott, 7-4, April 29, to secure head coach Anthony Del Prete's 100th career victory as the Rams' head coach.

MORE READING: Del Prete Wins 100th as Baseball Comes Back at Endicott, 7-4

EYES ON THE GAME

ALL-GNAC
After winning a fourth straight GNAC Championship, Suffolk baseball was rewarded for its efforts by taking home 17 All-GNAC awards highlighted by Brady Chant's Player of the Year nod and Anthony Del Prete's Coach of the Year recognition. 

MORE READING: Player of the Year Chant Headlines Baseball's 17 All-GNAC Honorees, Del Prete Coach of the Year 

GOOGLE CLOUD COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Senior Brady Chant of the Suffolk baseball team has added academic accolades to his extensive athletic resume as the senior was named to the Google Cloud College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team for the 2018 season. 

MORE READING: Chant Collects Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District 

A LOOK BACK: SUFFOLK BASEBALL'S 1000 WINS
January 17, 1947 is a historic day in Suffolk Athletics history as Charles Law, the department's first-ever Director of the Athletics, penned a letter to Tufts announcing the formation of the University's baseball team.

71 Years and 93 days later, the self-proclaimed Mutts made more history, capturing the program's 1000th win in an 11-2 decision at Norwich April 21, 2018. The 1K milestone has only been reached by 17.1 percent of active NCAA Division III programs with the Rams of Suffolk becoming the 66th team to accomplish the feat.

To celebrate this memorable milestone, Suffolk Athletics takes Ram Nation on a walk down memory lane. Revisit the wins here.

ON DECK
Suffolk awaits the seeding of the 2018 NCAA DIII Tournament, which will be released late Sunday night or first thing Monday morning.