Baseball Falls in Extras at Gordon, 9-8

WENHAM, Mass. – In a back-and-forth battle, Suffolk baseball landed on the wrong side of a 9-8, 13-inning decision to Commonwealth Coast Conference counterpart Gordon Tuesday afternoon at J. Tec White Field. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8 | Gordon 9
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-10, 2-4 CCC) | Gordon (6-19, 2-6 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Down one run after the first, Suffolk sprouted out to a 5-1 lead in the top of the second. With the bases loaded on an error, single and hit by pitch, Jack Mihalchik's base hit to left center brought in the tying run. Colin Flynn pushed the Rams ahead as the freshman plated a pair on a base hit down the left field line. Harry Painter and Alex Sorenti-Burns collected one RBI each in the rally as the former singled and the later drew a bases loaded walk.  

The Fighting Scots fought back in the bottom of the second with three runs on three hits and one Rams error to cut the blue-and-gold's advantage to 5-4.  

Suffolk stranded a pair of base runners in the third before Gordon went ahead on a two-run single from Jonathan McIntyre to put the Rams in a 6-5 hole.  

Things stayed that way until the eighth when the blue-and-gold mounted a comeback. Jonny Gilbride's single up the middle brought in Mihalchik, who led off the inning with a walk, to lock things at 6-all. An error by the Fighting Scots' first baseman Jacob Blake when Sorenti-Burns put the ball in play allowed Flynn, who singled, score the go-ahead run.  

Suffolk took its 7-6 advantage into the bottom of the ninth. The Rams outfielder's quickly gloved the first two outs of the frame, but CJ Demers had other things in mind as he sent a two-out solo shot over the left field fence to even things at 7-all.  

After a scoreless 10th, the teams traded one run in the 11th. Max Iorio homered down the right field line to give the blue-and-gold the upperhand, but it did not last long as the Fighting Scots responded in the home half of the inning. Blake walked and moved into scoring position on an Evan Clark sac and scored thanks to Aj Figueroa's single up the middle. 

Zeros were put up on both sides in the 12th and a pair of Rams were left on the bags in the top of the 13th.  

As the sun was setting, momentum shifted in Gordon's favor in the bottom of the frame as Blake singled before John McDevitt took over for Brett Bucklin on the mound. The freshman reliever walked Clark before getting two quick outs. Once again Demers put on his hero cape as he barreled a base hit to left center to push the Fighting Scots past Suffolk. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• McDevitt took the loss after giving up one run on one hit and one walk in 0.2 frames of relief. 
• Pierce Salbego started for Suffolk and allowed six runs, three earned, on eight hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings. 
• Bucklin let up two runs on seven hits and three walks with five punchouts in 7.0 innings out of the pen. 
• Michael Pelletier earned the win behind 2.0 innings of scoreless, hitless relief with three Ks and one walk. 
• Starter Brett More gave up five runs, four earned, on four hits and one walk in 1.1 inning of work. 
• Mike Williams (1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB), Gianni Mercurio (4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K), Jack Birtwell (1.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB) and Kevin Whalen (3.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 K) all came in to pitch for Gordon.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Flynn recorded two hits, two runs, two RBI, and one walk. 
• Mihalchik tallied two hits, two runs, one RBI, one walk and two stolen bases. 
• Max Martin registered two hits and one run. 
• Iorio notched one hit, a homer, two runs and one RBI. 
• Gilbride and Painter provided one hit and one RBI each. 
• Sorenti-Burns chipped in one RBI and one walk. 
• Sam Armbruster pitched in one hit, one run and one walk.  

NOTEWORHTY

• Suffolk and Gordon went into extra innings for the second time in the all-time series and second time in as many meetings. 
• The Rams moved to 1-1 in extra innings against the Fighting Scots. 
• Iorio had his third homer of the year, third of his collegiate career. 
• Mihalchik stole a personal-best two bases.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk hosts UMass Boston tomorrow, Wednesday, April 10 at East Boston Memorial Park at 3 p.m.