Baseball Clips Dickinson in Game 1, 7-5

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Suffolk baseball began its 10-game Spring Break trip in the win column as the Rams downed Dickinson, 7-5, to open the doubleheader with the Red Devils Saturday morning at Chain of Lakes Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 7 | Dickinson 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-1) | Dickinson (3-4)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Errors and base hits allowed Dickinson to put Suffolk in a 3-0 after the first two innings. The Red Devils opened the game with a one-run first and doubled that offensive output in the second. 

Matters changed in the third as the Rams got on the board and then some. Nik San Antonio worked a walk to start things off and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Logan Heckman brought him in on a single up the middle. A fielder's choice and a single later, Blase Cormier knocked a single through the right side to close the gap two one. Rich Gilbride, who singled, and Cormier each advanced on a wild pitch and an error during Zack Aresty's at bat gave the Rams a 4-3 edge.  

The blue-and-gold padded that margin an inning later. With one out, Heckman drew a base on balls, swiped second and took third behind a passed ball. After Tim Brigham grounded out to third and Gilbride walked, Cormier cleared the bases with a two-run single to stretch the advantage to 6-4.  

Dickinson trimmed it down to a one-run game in the top of the fifth as Alex Cohen's double to right center plated Pat Harrington, who singled through the left side.  

The one-run game did not last long as Suffolk scored one of its own in the home half of the sixth behind a bases loaded hit by pitch. Brigham batted a base hit to lead off and Michael James Jr. replaced the designated the hitter on the bags. A ground out pushed the runner over, Cormier wore a pitch andtwo batters later Marc Birbigliareached on an error by the second baseman to put all the ducks in the pond. Ben Isaak did not have to work hard to bring the run in as he was hit by Petyon Fox gain the three-run lead, 7-4. 

Gilbride came in for Michael Muscarella from short to close out the game on the mound. The Red Devils managed to tact on one run behind a Suffolk error during Ian Beumee's lead-off at bat, but Gilbride and the Rams defense kept them there to take the 7-5 series opening win.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Muscarella picked up the decision with a two-run, eight-hit, five-strikeout outing over 6.0 complete innings. 
• Gilbride secured the save after tossing a hitless inning of relief. 
• Beau Dana suffered the setback. He allowed six runs, four earned, on five hits, five walks with five punchouts.
• Fox let up one run on one hit with two Ks in 2.0 frames.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Cormier anchored the offensive output with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate with three RBI and one run scored. 
• Heckman had one hit, one RBI, one run, one walk and one stolen base. 
• Gilbride produced two runs, one hit and walked once. 
• Brigham notched one hit and one run. 
• Isaak logged one hit and one walk. 
• James Jr. and San Antonio each scored one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Dickinson met for the first time since 2017. 
• The Rams defeated the Red Devils for the first time since 2013 and first under Anthony Del Prete's leadership. 
• Suffolk improved to 2-1 since 2013 against Dickinson. 
• Luke Harder made his first collegiate appearance.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk wraps up the doubleheader with the Red Devils this afternoon.