Baseball's Pitchers Stump Salem State, 7-1

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk baseball's pitching staff combined for a one-hit performance, while the Rams offense scored seven unanswered runs en route to a 7-1 victory over Salem Wednesday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 7 | Salem State 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (19-13) | Salem State (15-13)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
A pair of Suffolk fielding mishaps by the Rams infielder allowed Salem State to sneak a run on the board in the top of the third. 

The Rams righted the wrong in the home half the fourth when the Vikings brought Jake Usenia in to pitch. Harry Painter tripled to right field and one out later scored on Max Iorio's double to left center. After a throwing error by SSU's third baseman put Rams in the corners, Iorio scored on Max Martin's single to right field to send the host ahead, 2-1.  

Two innings later, the blue-and-gold doubled its offensive output. Alex Sorenti-Burns wore a pitch and Iorio singled on through the right side to put runners on first and second. Sam Armbruster bunted the runners over in time for Max Martin to clear the bags with a two-bagger to right center that made it a 4-1 Suffolk game with six frames in the books. 

Aidan Lynch broke up the no-hitter in the top of the seventh with a one-out single to center. The Rams infield managed to turn a 643 double play on the Vikings next hitter, Connor Dolan, to keep the three-run gap.   

Suffolk extended its advantage to 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh. A bases loaded balk by allowed Painter, who led off with a single to center. Two productive ground outs allowed Sorenti-Burns and Iorio to score.  Sorenti-Burns wore a pitch for the second time on the afternoon to reach safely and Iorio worked a walk to get on base.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• It was a staff day for Suffolk. 
• Jack Raimo earned the decision behind 4.0 innings of scoreless work with one hit and one walk allowed to go along with one punchout. 
• Starter Garret Roberts saw seven batters in 2.0 scoreless frames with one strikeout to his credit. 
• Brett Bucklin allowed one unearned run in 1.0 inning of work. He faced five hitters.
• TJ Dimitriou, who faced four batters in 1.0 inning out of the pen, registered one K. 
• Gregory Kaufmann closed out the contest with 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless work. He sat down one batter. 
• Usenia took the loss for the Vikings after giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits in 1.0 inning of relief.
• Nick Bamforth started and tossed 3.0 innings of scoreless, hitless work with three strikeouts on his stat line. 
• Greg Gentle (1.1 IP, 2 R, 3 H), Brady Boucher (1.0 IP, 3 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K) and Matt Walling (1.2 IP, 3 K) came out of the pen for SSU. 
  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Iorior went 2-for-3 with one double. He brought in one run and scored three himself. 
• Max Martin plated four runs on a 2-for-4 plate performance that featured one double. 
• Painter produced a 2-for-4 effort with one triple and two runs scored. 
• Sorenti-Burns supplied two runs. 
• Jack Mihalchik added one hit. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk improved to 25-31 all-time against the Vikings. 
• The Rams defeated the Vikings in back-to-back battles for the first time since March 19, 2009-April 12, 2011. 
• Suffolk is now 2-2 versus SSU under Anthony Del Prete's guidance. 
• Suffolk hosted Salem State at East Boston Memorial Park for the first time. 
• Painter has produced multiple hits in eight straight games. In that span he has 20 hits including five doubles, three triples and one homer. 
• Max Martin registered a career-high four runs. 
• Iorio matched a personal-best three runs scored. 
• Raimo recorded his first collegiate victory.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk continues its homestand this weekend with back-to-back twnibills in Eastie. The Rams entertain the Colonels of Curry Saturday, April 27 in a Commonwealth Coast Conference clash before renewing a rivalry with Anna Maria Sunday, April 28. Both outings are scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m.