Softball Sweeps Past Becker

The Suffolk University Softball team (8-8 overall) swept a non-conference double header at the hands of the Becker College Hawks (3-11 overall) on Wednesday afternoon in their home opener at Popoulo Field in Boston's North End.

The Rams took game one easily 10-2 ending the game early in the sixth inning, before the Hawks rallied in game two putting in a scare but Suffolk survived thanks to a clutch mound performance by senior Liz Galvin (Medway, Mass.) to take the nightcap, 6-5.

Game one saw the Rams collect 16 hits as sophomore Erin McAndrews (Marblehead, Mass.) led the way with a 4-for-4 performance and five RBI, while Galvin drove in three runs with a pair of hits as well.

Galvin drove in the game's first run with an infield single in the home half of the second inning, before the Rams plated three runs in the third to jump out to a 4-0 edge halfway through the contest.

Suffolk broke things wide open in the fourth inning as McAndrews collected her third hit of the game, driving in a pair of runs with a double and would later add two more RBI on a single in the sixth inning as she finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Freshman Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) picked up the victory on the mound for the Rams fanning a season-high 11 hitters while scattering eight hits and two runs over six innings of work.

Freshman Megan Bolduc (Dover, N.H.) was 3-for-4 in game one and drove in the Hawks' only runs of the game with a two-out single in the fourth inning.

Bolduc would combine for a 6-for-8 performance at the plate on the day in the double header.

Game two saw the Rams jump out to a quick 6-0 lead over the first three innings of play.

Freshman Alicia Gonnella (Bridgewater, N.J.) hit a bases clearing triple in the first inning as the Rams scored four runs to start off the game. McAndrews once again started the offense in the game for the Rams as she singled to left driving in the game's first run.

Things would get uneasy for the Rams in the fourth inning however as Becker scored five times, taking advantage of some uneasy outfield play and collecting five hits in the inning.

After a one out walk to freshman Lauren Lavalle (Millbury, Mass.), freshman Sarah Roth (Littleton, Mass.) would reach out an outfield error. Junior Talan Barron (Methuen, Mass.) drove home the first Hawks' run of the game with a single, before sophomore Melissa Rhodes (Mendon, Mass.) cleared the bases with a triple to score two more runs for Becker. Freshman Jessica Brochu (Hardwick, Vt.) and freshman Megan Cordon (Watertown, Conn.) would also collect run scoring base hits as Becker was able to close the game to a 6-5 margin, chasing Suffolk starter Samantha McGilvray (Brighton, Mass.) from the game.

Galvin would come in and shut the door as she picked up her third win of the season. Galvin struck out four in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

Becker continued to threaten offensively over their final three at-bats, but could not muster a big hit to catch up with the Rams. The Hawks were able to load the bases in the fifth inning with one out before Galvin escaped the jam unscathed with a strikeout and flyout. The Hawks left the go-ahead run in the scoring position as they had runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs in the top of the seventh, as Galvin got the final out of the game with a ground ball to freshman Nicole Rosa (Wallingford, Conn.).

Both teams collected 10 hits in game two as Suffolk had all nine players in their lineup record at least one hit.

Bolduc and Barron each had three hits in game two for Becker.

Both teams will be in conference action in their upcoming contests. Becker will take on Newbury College on Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm. Suffolk will travel to Lasell College at 3:00pm on Friday in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action.