Softball Splits Doubleheader at Suffolk

SALEM, Mass. – After falling to Salem State, 6-5, in the opener, Suffolk softball ran past the Vikings, 11-6, in the closer to secure the split at Alumni Field at Saturday afternoon.   

THE BASICS
GAME 1 – SCORE: Suffolk 5, Salem 6
GAME 2 – SCORE: Suffolk 11, Salem 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-7) | Salem (8-4) 

GAME 1 RECAP
Suffolk found itself in a 1-0 hole after two complete innings, before turning the tides in its favor in the top of the third. McKenzie McGrath led off with a single, moved over a ground out and rounded the bases with a triple from freshman Ashley Zulla to put the Rams on the scoreboard. With the game locked at 1-all, a mistake by the Vikings first baseman let Zulla come in and make it a 2-1 Suffolk game. 

Salem regained a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth, but another Rams response ensued, this time with three runs in the top of the fifth. Zulla opened the inning with single, advanced on a ground out, before a single from Jill Pulek put the rookie outfielder in scoring position on third. Delaney Sylvester's double plated Zulla to even the playing field for the second time on the day. For the second time Suffolk took advantage of a Vikings error, this time with Pulek and Delaney scoring to put the Rams in front, 5-3. 

The score held there until Salem brought in two runs in the bottom of the sixth to equalize the contest at 5-all. Suffolk stranded Sylvester, who singled, on base to head into the bottom of the seventh looking to its defense. Two errors by the Rams fielders put the Vikings in scoring position and April Adams' single brought in the go-ahead run to seal the 6-5 win for the hosts. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Sylvester paced Suffolk's eight hit day with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate with one RBI and one run scored.
• Zulla put together a 2-for-4 effort at the dish with run runs scored and one brought in.
• Pulek also went 2-for-4 at bat to go along with one run scored.
• McGrath accounted for the Rams other hit and came home for one run.
• Pagano brought in two runs.
• Salem out hit Suffolk, 11-8. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• In a complete game effort, Ali Yamakaitis slipped to 3-3 on the season letting up six runs, four earned, on 11 hits and struck out four batters.
• Lleish Burney moved to 3-1 for the Vikings, allowing five runs, three earned on eight hits and one strikeout. 

GAME 2 RECAP
Suffolk's bats started early an often in the closer With Zulla knocking a double followed by a triple from Frost to bring the first of many runs. Pulek sent the ball over the fence to score Frost and herself to give the Rams a 3-0 lead after the first half inning. 

After Salem scored one in the bottom of inning, Suffolk added two more one in the second and third, respectively. An RBI single from Karina Miranda in the second scored Natalia McAllister and an error from Vikings' third baseman allowed Sylvester to come in in the third. 

Salem chipped away with one run in the fifth, but a four-run sixth inning stretched the distance to 9-2. McGrath singled to lead off and Evelyn Marquis took her place on the bags, before Miranda drew a walk to set up Zulla's three RBI homer heroics. An RBI single by Sylvester, which brought in Frost, made it a 9-2 game. 

Frost's two RBI double in the seventh put two more runs for Suffolk on the board and Salem scored four in the bottom half of the inning for the final 11-6 margin.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Zulla, Frost, Pulek and Sylvester all had mult-hit days to pace Suffolk's 14-hit effort.
• Zulla and Sylvester each went 3-for-4. The former brought in three runs and scored three herself with the later notching one RBI and one run scored.
• Frost went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two scored runs with Pulek rounding out the foursome with a 2-for-5 day for 2 RBI na done run scored. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Taylor Holmes earned the win in the circle for Suffolk. The sophomore dealt her first complete-game of the season, allowing six runs on 10 hits and four strikeouts.
• Meghan Black and Dominique Del vecchi split time in the circle for the Vikings. Black went 4.0 innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits and three strikeouts, while Del vecchi gave up six runs on six hits with one K in 3.0 innings of action. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Zulla upstaged her game 1 career outing with another career game in the closer. In game one the rookie produced her first collegiate triple, but one-upped that in game two with her first collegiate homerun. Her three hits, three RBI and two runs scored are all career bests for the freshman.
• With the win in game 2, head coach Jaclyn Davis earned her 100th victory on Suffolk's bench. She is just the second coach in the Rams' 33-year history to eclipse the 100-win mark. Davis joins Elaine Schwagger (100-82) as the only two coaches in Suffolk's annals to win 100 wins in their careers at the helm of the program.
• Suffolk knocked two homers in one game for the first time since matching that number in the GNAC Tournament last season in a 9-5 win over Albertus Magnus May 7, 2016. 

POST-GAME PICS

COMING UP
Suffolk is set to open the home portion of its schedule Tuesday, March 28 when Brandeis visits East Boston Memorial Park for a doubleheader. Game one is set for a 4 p.m. first pitch.