Softball Sinks Westfield State, 4-2

CLERMONT, Fla. – Suffolk softball found its grove in the batters' box and Kennedy Reyes commanded the circle to help the Rams outlast Westfield State, 4-2, Tuesday afternoon at Legends Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Westfield State 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-3) | Westfield State (0-6) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the second, Westfield State's Farrah Adam singled to center, both runners moved over one and Sam Hallice trucked home to score. Caitlin Murphy looked to hose her from center. The sophomore's shot beat the runner, but was out of Leah Kornguth's grasp sailing to the top of the netting to let the Owls open the scoring. 

Suffolk responded in the second as Kelly Keane logged a two-run double to give the blue-and-gold a one-run, 2-1, edge. Keane brought in Ally Cifaratta, who reached on a fielder's choice, and Leina Belog who took first on a one-bagger.  

Westfield State evened matters in the home half of the inning before the Rams responded in the next half frame. A double played a factor in the scoring once again, this time Ashley Zulla's bat produced the two-base hit. The lead-off hitter than rounded the bags on Kornguth's first collegiate hit, a single to right center, to flip the score in Suffolk's favor, 3-2.  

The Owls looked to lock matters in the bottom of the fourth. Ra Sinclair helped the cause with a lead-off base hit but Suffolk's infield had other things in mind. A 543 double play was followed up by Kennedy Reyes' second strikeout of the afternoon that kept WSU quiet.  

During Suffolk's next turn at the plate it padded the gap to a pair. With two dead and Leah Barnes waiting on second, Zulla barreled a long single to center field that brought in Barnes for the 4-2 Rams' edge. 

Reyes tossed her third straight three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the sixth with two looking Ks to hold the advantage for Suffolk.  

The sophomore twirler kept up the pace in the final frame. Westfield State saw a glimpse of a comeback come when Samantha Hallice knocked a double to left field, but Reyes dealt a pitch Sarah Meunier grounded out to third on to seal the deal for the Rams.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Reyes recorded a two-run, one-earned, six-hit, one-walk, five-strikeout complete-game effort. 
• Brendan Welch dipped to 0-2 on the year after giving up four runs on 12 hits and one walk with just one K.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Zulla was perfect at the plate with a 3-for-3 effort that included a double. She brought in one run and scored one herself. 
• Belog and Cifaratta each had two hits and one run scored. 
• Keane collected two RBI on one hit. 
• Murphy contributed two hits and one stolen base. 
• Kornguth pitched in one hit and one RBI. 
• Grace Boehler notched one hit, while Barnes scored one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Westfield State met for the first time. 
• Kornguth made her first collegiate start as the Rams' backstop. 
• Reyes registered her first complete-game of the season and sixth of her career. 
• Suffolk's 12 hits are the most this season and mark the first-time the Rams have had 10-plus hits since a 10-hit outing in the 2019 GNAC Playoffs against Saint Joseph's (Maine) May 2, 2019. 
• Zulla matched a career-high three hits. 
• Belog matched a personal-best two hits. She had her second straight outing with a double. 
• Cifaratta matched a personal-high two hits.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk closes out its third day in Florida this afternoon against Geneva.