Softball Starts CCC Action with Gordon, Nichols

SUFFOLK vs GORDON
Date Time Venue Video Stats - Game 1 Stats - Game 2 Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Friday, April 1 3:00 PM (DH) East Boston Memorial Park East Boston, Mass. Suffolk Playsight GoSuffolkRams.com GoSuffolkRams.com 2-1 March 31, 2021, W, 10-4 Same W1

SUFFOLK at NICHOLS
Date Time Venue Video Stats - Game 1 Stats - Game 2 Series Last Meeting Last Suffolk Win Streak	Saturday, April 2 12:00 PM (DH) Nichols Softball Field Dudley, Mass. NicholsAthletics.com NicholsAthletics.com NicholsAthletics.com 0-2 March 13, 2006, L, 5-4 Never L2

BOSTON – Suffolk softball is looking to build off a 3-1 weekend as it heads into Commonwealth Coast Conference action this weekend with a pair of league twinbills with Gordon and Nichols on the docket. The Rams will first battle the Fighting Scots in their true home and conference opener at East Boston Memorial Park on Friday, April 1 at 3 p.m., before traveling to the Bison for a matchup at the Nichols Softball Field on Saturday, April 2 at 12 p.m. 

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

LAST TIME OUT
Ava Brandow broke open a 2-all tie in the bottom of the seventh with a bases loaded single to center field to send Suffolk softball past Simmons, 3-2, in game two of a non-league twinbill Saturday afternoon at Daly Field. The walk-off win helped the Rams split the double feature with the Sharks after the blue-and-gold was shutout, 5-0, in the opener. 

MORE READING: Softball Walks Off Nightcap Against Simmons, 3-2

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk has put together a strong start to the season. After dropping their first two games at the FastPitch Dreams Spring Classic, it has rattled off wins in eight of their last 10 games, good for an 8-4 record on the season.   

Ally Cifaratta carried her hot hitting all the way from South Carolina to the northeast as the junior third baseman is hitting .447/.500/.500 with a team-high 17 hits to go along with seven runs and five RBI. Ava Brandow has been an RBI machine, bringing in a team-high 13 behind a slash line of .417/.432/.694. The freshman leads the teams with six extra-base hits, including two homers. Fellow rookie Jolie Quintana has also been slugging the ball herself, posting a team-best five doubles to go along with averages of .333/.382/.500.

In the circle, Suffolk's staff has compiled a 2.59 ERA led by Jenny Jacob (1.30), Brandow (1.40) and Ella Turnbull (1.71) each recording sub-2.00 ERA's. In six appearances and four starts, Jacob owns a 3-1 ledger with one save in 27.0 frames of work with a team-best 35 strikeouts. Brandow, meanwhile, is 1-0 with one save in her 10.0 innings with 10 punchouts. Turnbull has appeared three times for the Rams including two starts, going 1-1 and striking out 11 batters.      

FIGHTING SCOTS FACTS
Gordon rides a six-game win streak into Friday's matchup that has improved the Fighting Scots record to 9-6-1 overall.

Ami Rivera is the leader at the plate for Gordon with a .482 average, .508 on-base and .714 slugging percentage. The freshman has knocked 27 hits for 19 RBI and 15 runs scored. Lily Rivera, a grad-student who is batting .407, comes in just behind her sister with 22 hits, 17 runs batted in, and 15 runs scored. Karissa Hatchell finishes off the top trio in the box with 23 hits and nine RBI behind a .479 average to go along with 12 runs scored. 

The Fighting Scots have relied on just two arms through 16 games. Mara Little brings in staff-best numbers in ERA (2.38), walks (7) and innings pitched (56.0) with a record of 4-2 in eight starts, throwing five complete contests. Sierra Ricci leads the team with 25 punchouts with a 4.30 ERA to her credit in 44.0 frames. Ricci has a team-high five wins with just three losses in her seven starts, five of which were complete games.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Gordon met twice last season, their first tangles since the 2018 Spring Games in Clermont, Florida.
• Suffolk holds a 2-1 record all time against the Fighting Scots after splitting their season series last spring.
• The blue-and-gold aims to win back-to-back battles with Gordon for the first time in program history.
• Suffolk and Gordon have never met in Boston before.
• Suffolk has never hosted the Fighting Scots or played as the home team in any of the three games in the series. 
• The Rams are 1-1 when traveling to Wenham, Massachusetts.
• The blue-and-gold has outscored Gordon, 17-10. 
• There has never been a shutout or extra-inning outing between Suffolk and Gordon.

EYES ON THE GAME 
 

BISON BACKGROUND
Nichols holds a 3-9 overall record and are looking to add to the win column after a four-game skid. 

Samantha Kostek leads the way at the dish with 14 hits, 10 RBI and six runs scored on a .378 average. Chloe Steiniger is a top threat offensively for the Bison as well with nine hits and four RBI behind a .346 average with six runs scored. Mackenzie Bourgault rounds out the top trio of batters with 11 hits, three RBI, and three runs scored with a .314 average.  

The Bison have evenly distributed their three go to arms in the circle this season, with Chelsea Indyk fielding the best ERA at 3.97. The freshman leads the team with 21 strikeouts in 24.2 frames of work, appearing in six games. Alyssa Ouellette leads the team in innings pitched (28.2) and walks (3), throwing two complete games in her four starts in the circle. Candice Nelson caps off their top pitchers with a 1-2 record along with two complete games, 13 strikeouts, 20.1 innings pitched in just three starts. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, Nichols series dates back to 1995.
• The Rams and Bison have only squared off twice all-time.
• Nichols leads the all-time series 2-0.
• The last meeting between was in March 13, 2006 in Fort Meyers, Florida. Suffolk fell, 5-4, in the outing
• This is there first matchup in Dudley, Massachusetts.
• Nichols owns the lone shutout in the series, an 8-0 decision in Boston April 29, 1995. 
• The Rams have been outscored by the Bison, 13-4. 

EYES ON THE GAME

CCC OPENERS

• Suffolk began its tenure in the CCC a year ago. 
• The Rams won their CCC debut with a six-inning, 11-2 decision at Wentworth.
• Suffolk lifted the lid on its CCC calendar at home a year ago and will do so again this season.  

RAMS RECOGNITION
Ava Brandow of the Suffolk softball team garnered Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Rookie of the Week after providing all over the diamond in a 3-1 week for the Rams.

MORE READING: Brandow Tabbed CCC Rookie of the Week 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes on non-conference foe Lesley for a mid-week doubleheader in Eastie on Wednesday, April 6 at 4:30 p.m.