Dickinson Walks Off in Game 2, 4-3, Baseball Splits Series

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Suffolk baseball team took the lead in the top of the seventh, but back-to-back hit by pitches came back to cost The Rams as a two-RBI single allowed Dickinson to walk off with a 4-3 victory over the blue-and-gold in game two of a twinbill at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Saturday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Dickinson 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-2) | Dickinson (4-4)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk's scoring started from the get-go as Logan Heckman led off the game with a single and moved to second on an over throw by the Red Devil's left fielder Cole Benner. The Rams centerfielder took third on Tim Brigham's ground out to short and sauntered in thanks to Rich Gilbride's base hit to center.  

That 1-0 lead held for the next three innings as George Breslinlimited Dickinson's offense to just one hit in the first three frames of the day.  

In the top of the fourth Zack Aresty opened the frame with a walk, sniped second and advanced to third on a misplay by Dickinson's catcher Chris Delsan. Nik San Antonio brought the Rams runner in on a single to right center to double the blue-and-gold's lead to a pair.  

Breslin found himself in a jam for the first time on the day in the home half of the fourth with runners in the corners. A balk let the Red Devils score, but fortunately the sophomore righty kept them to one run as he sat down Benner swinging to hold onto the 2-1 edge.  

The Rams had a chance to build more ground in the fifth as they chucked the bags with two outs. First Marc Birbiglia singled then Gino Desimone and Aresty both walked. A fresh arm came in to deal for the Red Devils as Anthony Fran took over. The new hurler helped maintain the one-run contest as Andrew Ashworth went down swinging and the Rams stranded the bags loaded.  

Dickinson meanwhile managed to make moves with two dead. Tom Gannaway knocked a double to right center to preserve the inning and came home on Harrington's single to even matters at two apiece at the end of the fifth.  

Back-to-back doubles by the Rams erased the tied game. Gilbride hit the first down the left field line and Blase Cormier followed with his own down the opposite foul line to bring in the go-ahead run.   

The Red Devils responded in the seventh. Two inning-opening hit by pitches put runners on first and second with just one out. A pair of base hits followed capped by Alex Cohen's game-winning two-RBI one-bagger that sealed the deal for Dickinson.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Caleb Piwnikic suffered the setback after giving up two runs on two hits and one walk with one strikeout in 1.1 innings. 
• Breslin wrote a two-run, five-hit, two-walk, seven-strikeout stat line in 5.0 complete innings. 
• Ethan Collins picked up the victory for the Red Devils with 0.2 frames of scoreless work with a pair of punchouts. 
• Teddy Reddington started for Dickinson and compiled a two-run, seven-hit, five-walk, two-strikeout day in 4.2 innings. 
• Anthony Francioso saw 1.2 innings in which he let up one run on two hits and struck out one.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Gilbride registered two hits, including one double, one RBI and one run scored. 
• Cormier went 2-for-3 with one double, one RBI and one walk. 
• Aresty chipped in one hit, one run, one stolen base and two walks. 
• San Antonio supplied one hit and one RBI. 
• Birbiglia and Tim Brigham each had one knock. 
• Heckman supplied one hit and one run. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Birbiglia and Desimone appeared in the starting lineup for the first time in their careers. 
• All of Suffolk's games have been decided by two runs or less, two of which have been in walk-off fashion.
• Breslin served a career-high seven strikeouts.  
• Cormier and Gilbride each had back-to-back two-hit outings.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk is back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 8 in a twinbill with Westfield State. First pitch of game one is set for 3 p.m. at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg, Florida.