Baseball Sneaks by Elms in Nightcap, 6-5

DAVENPORT, Fla. – It was a down to the wire finish as Chris Cimino's bat brought in the game-winning run in the top of the seventh and Jack Raimo kept the Blazers scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to lock up a 6-5 game two win over Elms Thursday at Northeast Regional Park at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 6 | Elms 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-8) | Elms (4-5)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
In the first, Cole Hilliard capitalized on a throwing error by the Blazers' third baseman Jacob Perez to lead off the game. He swiped second and Alex Sorenti-Burns worked a walk to put two ducks in the pond. Cimino barreled a base hit to right center to bring in Hilliard and start the scoring. After Max Iorio walked, a fielder's choice when Sebastian Lampert put the ball in play let the second run of the day come in before Max Martin's ground-rule double to left plated Cimino for a 3-0 early edge.  

John McDevitt found himself in a bases loaded, no out jam in the bottom of the first. The sophomore worked his way out of it with help from his infield and a backwards K to keep Elms scoreless, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.  

The Blazers found their way on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. Two singles and a double brought in two runs to trim Suffolk's advantage to one, 3-2.  

Suffolk restored the three-run gap in the top of the fourth. Max Martin doubled, Sam Armbruster singled and Noah Greco wore a pitch to fill the bases. Jack Mihalchik grounded into a double play, but Max Martin managed to still score, before Hilliard's deep single to right brought in Armbruster to make it a 5-2 game.  

A lead-off, solo shot by Alex Baeta in the home half of the fourth trimmed the deficit down to two, 5-3. McDevitt managed to keep the distance there as he secured all three outs of the frame with strikeouts, all looking.  

Elms leveled the playing field at 5-all with a two-run fifth. 

The score stayed put at 5-5 through the sixth as it was a three-up, three-down inning for the blue-and-gold and the Blazers stranded Cam Watkins, who doubled, on second. 

The Rams took advantage of a double in the top of the seventh. Sorenti-Burns slugged a two-bagger down the left field line and moved into even better scoring position on a wild pitch during Cimino's at bat. The blue-and-gold's third baseman put the hero hat on with a single through the right side that brought in Sorenti-Burns for the go-ahead run.  

Elms had walk-off potential on base behind a pair of singles and a sac bunt. Suffolk managed to turn a 6-3 double play though to preserve the triumph.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Raimo registered the win behind 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. He yielded three hits. 
• McDevitt started and allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out six in 4.0 innings.
• Colin McNeal tossed 0.1 inning of relief. He let up two runs on two hits and one walk. 
• Devin Kazarian took the loss. In 2.0 innings, he gave up one run on two hits and punched out a pair. 
• Ryan Ziegler compiled a five-run, four-earned, five-hit, two-walk and one-strikeout effort over 5.0 innings.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Cimino provided a 2-for-4 effort with two RBI and one run scored. 
• Max Martin went 2-for-4 as well with both of his hits good for two bases. He added one RBI and one run. 
• Sorenti-Burns supplied two runs, one hit and one walk. 
• Hilliard had one hit, one RBI and one run. 
• Armbruster added one hit and one run. 
• Lampert brought in one run. 
• Iorio put down one sac bunt. 

NOTEWORTHY

• McDevitt fanned a career-high six batters. 
• Cimino stretched his hit streak to seven games. In that span he has nine hits. 
• Cimino matched his Suffolk-best in hits (2) and RBI (2). 
• Max Martin logged a career-high two doubles.   

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Rams conclude their Spring Break trip tomorrow, Friday, March 14 against Lakeland at 9:15 a.m. at Lake Myrtle Park.