Jacob Deals One-Hit Gem, Softball Blanks SUNY Poly, 3-0

MYRTLE BEACH – Jenny Jacob was near perfection in the circle as she twirled a complete-game one-hitter to pace Suffolk softball to a 3-0 shutout over SUNY Poly Thursday night to wrap up the Rams action at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. 

Jacobs was dominant all evening as the junior had a perfect game going through 4.2 innings and allowed just one base runner on a walk in the top of the fifth. For the game, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native threw just 79 pitches, with 63 strikes. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | SUNY Poly 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-3) | SUNY Poly (1-5)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Offensively, Suffolk saw chances in the first three innings, but was unable to truly figure out Trinity Critelli to get on the board until the fourth.  

An error by the Wildcats second baseman Meghan Peek played a factor as it allowed Rebecca Gonzalez to reach first. Gonzalez turned on her running shoes when Jacob hit a deep double to left center. Gonzalez beat out the throw at home to get the blue-and-gold on the board. Jacob made her way to third on Lily Gustafson's ground out to short before Bianca Luciano pinch hit for Caitlin Murphy. The substitution paid off as the senior slapped a single to short to bring in Jacob and bump Suffolk's lead to a pair.  

An insurance run came in in the next inning. With two outs and Rams on second and third, Gonzalez went down swinging, however Maddelyn Hoehn dropped the ball and Suffolk's second baseman ran out the throw to first to keep the Rams' offense alive in the bottom of the fifth. On that throwing mishap Savannah Scripter crossed home to extend the edge to 3-0. Scripter kept the inning going with a two-out base hit to third.  

The game fell into Jacob's hands from there. Although she saw her no-hitter erased by pinch hitter Ariel Bell to lead off the sixth, the right-handed hurler took care of business the rest of the way including a three-up, three-down seventh to secure the shutout. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Jacob compiled a one-hit, one-walk, 13-strikeout, complete-game effort for the victory. 
• Critelli finished with a three-run, eight-hit, one-walk, 10-punchout performance in 6.0 innings. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brandow was the only Ram with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3 at the dish. 
• Jacob provided offensively as well with an RBI double to go along with one run scored. 
• Scripter tallied one hit and scored one run. 
• Luciano logged one hit and one RBI. 
• Gustafson added one hit. 
• Gonzalez scored once. 
• Cifaratta chipped in one hit. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met SUNY Poly for the first time. 
• Jacob record her first Suffolk win. 
• Jacob recorded a career-high 13 Ks. 
• The 13 strikeouts are the most for Suffolk since Sarah Chasse fanned 14 in a 3-1 win at Norwich, April 15, 2012.
• Jacob is the first pitcher to sit down 13 batters since Chasse punched out 14 Cadets April 15, 2012.
• The one hit allowed is the least hits given up to a foe since Payton Sylvester tossed a no-hitter in a 14-0, five-inning win at Simmons April 29, 2018.
• Brandow matched a personal-best two hits. 
• Gustafson notched her first collegiate hit. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk turns its attention to its New England schedule that is scheduled to get underway Friday, March 25 in a twinbill at Emerson.