Baseball Beats Bridgewater State, 12-9

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Suffolk baseball grabbed a lead early and never let go of it despite Bridgewater State's best comeback efforts to grab a 12-9 decision over the Bears Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 12 | Bridgewater State 9
RECORDS: Suffolk (14-10) | Bridgewater State (14-7)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk's scoring started in the first frame as the visitors nearly cycled through the order. Back-to-back full count walks and a wild pitch later set up Joe Ward's sac fly that put the blue-and-gold on the board. After Christian Seariacswiped third, Harry Painter plated him on a double to right center. An out later, Luke Harder traded places with him with a two-bagger of his own before scoring on Blase Cormier's base hit to left to make it a 4-0 game. 

Following a scoreless second, the Rams added one run in the third and fourth, respectively, to bump the margin to six. Painter fired a solo shot to left center to lead of the third. In the fourth, Seariac singled to left field to score Jonny Gilbride. Gilbride wore a pitch to reach, stole second and advanced to third on an erratic pitch.  

Bridgewater State made its first comeback attempt over the next innings. In the home half of the fourth, the host sliced the distance in half and trimmed it down even further with a two-run fifth to pull within one, 6-5.  

A Rams response came in the top of the sixth. Harrison Loud came in to pitch for Patrick Cashin and the blue-and-gold bats teed off for five runs to extend the advantage to 11-5. The offensive output came on six hits, two base on balls and a Bears error. Garret Roberts brought in a pair of runs in the scoring frenzy. Seariac, Ward and Harder each brought in one run in the sixth as well.  

Both sides were held scoreless in the seventh. Suffolk added an extra run in the eighth to give the visitors a comfortable 12-5 cushion. Painter, who led off with a double to left center and moved to third on Marc Birbiglia's single to center, scored Harder hit into a 643-double play.  

The Bears played catchup again in the bottom of the eighth and chipped away at the gap with two runs. 

In the night, Jake Washock came out of the pen to seal up victory for Suffolk. After he allowed a single through the left side, the right-handed reliever got the next two outs. A base hit and hit by pitch put all the ducks in the pond for BSU and set up S Emerson's two-run double. With the tying run at the plate, Steven Rossi came in to take over for Washock. The senior hurdler struck Jay Wladkowsk swinging, however Steven Shamnoski dropped the ball. Thankfully the catcher successfully made the throw to Cormier at first for the final out of the day that locked up the triumph for the Rams.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Seven used seven different arms to secure the win. 
• In the start, Caleb Piwnicki allowed three runs on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts in 3.2 innings. 
• Shawn Nosky tossed 2.0 innings of relief in which he allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and one punchout. 
• Michael James Jr. earned the win after securing one out. 
• Rossi recorded the save with his lone out, a strikeout swinging. 
• Cashion slipped in his outing with a six-run, seven-hit, two-walk, three-strikeout effort in 5.0 innings of work. 
• Loud allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks with one strikeout in 1.1 frames of action. 
• Ty Lobmyere threw 2.2 innings of relief. He let up one run on two hits and two walks with one K.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Painter was perfect 4-for-4 at the dish with three extra-base hits in two doubles and one dinger. He scored three times and brought in two runs. 
• Seariac supplied a 3-for-4 effort with two RBI, two runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases.
• Roberts registered two hits, which included one double, two RBI, two runs scored and stole one base.  
• Harder chipped in two hits including one double, two RBI and scored one run.
• Ward brought in two runs on one hit and a sac fly, scored once and stole one base.
• Gilbride scored twice to go along with one hit and one stolen base.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met Bridgewater State for the first time since March 30, 2016. 
• The Rams won their third game in a row against the Bears to move to 6-3 against BSU since 2008. 
• The blue-and-gold is unbeaten, 1-0, against Bridgewater State under Anthony Del Prete's guidance. 
• Painter matched a career-high in hits (4) and total bases (9) and set a new personal-best in doubles (2) and runs scored (3). 
• Painter produced his ninth homer of the season. He is the first Ram to have nine jacks in a single season since Mike Cuningham knocked 10 in 2013. 
• Seariac has stolen a career-best two bases in back-to-back outings. 
• Harder pushed his hit streak to seven games. In that span he has 12 hits. In the last four games, he has notched two hits. 
• Piwnicki made his first start of the season. 
• Gilbride and Birbiglia extend their hit streaks to four contests.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk heads to Wheaton tomorrow, Wednesday, April 13. Game time in Norton, Massachusetts is set for 4 p.m.