Softball Tops Norwich, 8-5, in Nightcap

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk softball closed out its GNAC twinbill with Norwich in the win column behind an 8-5 decision at East Boston Memorial Park Wednesday night.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8 | Norwich 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (15-12, 5-1 GNAC) | Norwich (8-12, 2-6 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk punched through the scoring in the second stanza with McKenzie McGrath's one-run double getting things going. The senior scored Kelly Keane, who led off the inning with a base-on-balls. Samantha Jacques singled to right field and moved into scoring position on Hailey Cockroft's productive ground out before the second double of the day and inning rattled off Caitlin Murphy's bat and brought the two Rams' runners in.  

The scoring carried into the third for the blue-and-gold as McGrath collected her second RBI on the day with a sac fly that scored Jaclyn Flint, who knocked a one-out single to center. The solo run pushed the hosts lead to 4-0 with three innings in the books.  

Norwich made things interesting in the fourth with back-to-back singles followed by a base-clearing bomb from Brittany Vandergroef. The Rams kept the damage there, but it was enough to cut the margin to one, 4-3.  

In the bottom half of the fourth, Suffolk matched the Cadets' three-run output, quite literally. With two runners on Ashley Zulla barreled a base-clearing bomb of her own to regain a four-run, 7-3, advantage for the blue-and-gold. 

A scoreless fifth was followed by an eventful sixth. Norwich mounted a comeback once again as an error allowed the Cadets to chuck the bags before scoring a run on a single through the right side. Jaclyn Davis brought in Constance Phelan to twirl. Phelan escaped the bases loaded jam with just one run allowed to keep Suffolk ahead by two, 7-5.  

Insurance came in the home half of the inning for Suffolk as Flint plated Boehler, who reached on a fielder's choice, to regain a three-run distance, 8-5. 

 Phelan returned to the rubber for the seventh and sat down the Cadets in order to secure the victory and series sweep. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Phelan tossed 2.0 innings of scoreless relief with no hits or walks given up. 
• Suffolk's starter Hannah DelCervo earned the decision with a five-run (four earned), nine-hit, three-walk, one-strikeout day in 5.0 innings. 
• Emily Oliver dipped to 6-6 on the season after letting up eight runs, seven earned, on 12 hits and three walks with one punchout.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Murphy knocked a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, including one double, for two RBI, one run and one walk. 
• Flint also had three hits, going 3-for-4, with one RBI and one run. 
• Zulla had a 2-for-3 showing with a three-RBI homer. 
• Boehler provided two hits and two runs. 
• McGrath brought in two runs and scored one herself to go along with one hit, a double. 
• Jacques tallied one hit and one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk swept Norwich in the regular season for the second straight season to improve to 31-19 all-time against the Cadets. 
• Under Davis' guidance, the rams are no 12-4 against Norwich. 
• Zulla produced a season-high three RBI, all of which came on her second dinger of the year. 
• Phelan picked up her second save of the season. 
• DelCervo moved to 4-5 on the rubber this year. 
• Murphy matched a career and season-high three hits and two RBI.

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk takes no time off and is back on the diamond tomorrow, Thursday, April 18 when it travels across town for two GNAC tilts at Emmanuel. First pitch at Clemente Field is scheduled for 6 p.m.