Framingham State Tops Softball, 8-4, in Game 2 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Despite getting on the scoreboard first, Suffolk softball fell to Framingham State, 8-4, in the second game of a double feature Saturday afternoon at Maple Street Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Framingham State 8
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-4) | Framingham State (4-0)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Caitlin Murphy opened the game with a single to right field and two batters later scored behind Ashley Zulla's single to nearly the same spot.  

The one-run lead held unto FSU equalized matters at one apiece in the home half of the second. A bases load sac fly proved to be the source of the game-tying run. 

Framingham State extend its advantage in the third with a pair of runs and pushed matters even further in the fourth with three more to go up 6-1.  

In the fifth, the Boston Rams made up some ground. Extra base hits played a factor in Suffolk's scoring once again. This time Ally Cifaratta led things off with a double to center field, advanced to third on an error, before coming in thanks to Ira Boci's sac fly.  

Suffolk's sac fly of its own pulled the visitors back within four, however, the hosts pushed the distance to six, 8-2, to end the fifth.  
A scoreless sixth forced the visiting Rams to make up a lot of ground in the top of the seventh. Cifaratta kept the chances alive with her second hit for two bags of the day. Grace McGonagle, who pinch ran for Cifaratta, was out at third when Zulla struck a single to left field, but Leina Belog knocked a double to center to bring in Zulla and jump start a Rams rally. Belog scored on Boci's single to right to cut the deficit in half, 8-4. 

Framingham State made a change in the circle with Laela Pepin coming in the circle. The fresh arm walked Rebecca Gonzalez, but Hailey Cockroft grounded out to third for the final out of the frame and game to seal the setback fate for Suffolk.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Kennedy Reyes slipped to 0-2 on the year after giving up three runs on five hits and six walks. Suffolk's starter sat down six hitters. 
• Belog let up five runs on three hits and four walks with three punchouts in 1.1 inning of relief. 
• Shannon Ward put together a four-run (three-earned), 10-hit, two-walk, nine-strikeout performance over 6.2 frames. 
• Pepin secured the final out for FSU.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Suffolk produced 10 hits as a squad with the trio of Cifaratta, Leah Kornguth and Zulla each contributing two hits apiece. 
• Both of Cifaratta's hits were doubles. The sophomore scored one run as well. 
• Zulla went 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI, one run scored and one walk. 
• Boci brought in two runs on one hit, one walk and one sac fly. 
• Belog chipped in one hit, one run and one RBI. 
• Murphy's triple went along with one run scored. 
• Bianca Luciano notched one one and one sac.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Cifaratta matched a personal-best two doubles.
• Kornguth tallied a personal-best two hits. 
• Boci produced a career-high two RBI and matched a personal-best one hit. 
• Luciano put down a sac for the second straight game.   

POST-GAME PIC
  

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk and Framingham State are back at it tomorrow, Sunday, March 21. Game one of the rematch is set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.