Weekend Sends Softball to JWU, Curry

SUFFOLK at JOHNSON & WALES
Date Time Venue Video Stats - Game 1 Stats - Game 2 Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Friday, April 15 4:00 PM (DH) SMGA Complex Providence, R.I. JWU Stretch GoSuffolkRams.com GoSuffolkRams.com 20-22 April 28, 2019, L, 10-6 March 29, 2018, 6-1 L4

SUFFOLK at CURRY
Date Time Venue Video Stats - Game 1 Stats - Game 2 Series Last Meeting Last Suffolk Win Streak	Saturday, April 16 12:00 PM (DH) D. Forbes Will Field Milton, Mass. CurryAthletics.com GoSuffolkRams.com GoSuffolkRams.com 22-11 April 11, 2017, W, 6-5 Same W5

BOSTON – Suffolk softball will spend its weekend on the road as the Rams make trips to Johnson & Wales and Curry. A visit to the Wildcats is up first Friday, April 15 for a 4 p.m. doubleheader with the return to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) calendar on tap for Saturday, April 16 at 12 p.m. in Milton, Massachusetts versus the Colonels. 

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
Suffolk softball slipped in the nightcap of a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader to Western New England, 3-1, Wednesday night at East Boston Memorial Park.  

MORE READING: Western New England Downs Softball in Game Two, 3-1

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk looks to snap a three-game skid that put the Rams at 14-8 on the year and 5-3 in CCC contests.  

The blue-and-gold bats have been limited to five runs over the last four games. Four different everyday players have 20-pus hits to their credit anchored by freshman Ava Brandow, who tops the team in hits and RBI with 24 and 22, respectively, behind a slash line of .364/.400/.576. Jolie Quintana, who is batting a squad-best .377, is second on the team with 23 hits, 14 RBI and 15 runs scored. Caitlin Murphy is an all-around offensive threat with 22 hits, 16 runs scored, 12 stolen bases and seven RBI. Ally Cifaratta rounds out the foursome with 21 hits, eight runs scored and six RBI.  

Jenny Jacob holds down Suffolk's staff. The junior right-handed pitcher boasts a 1.11 ERA over 50.1 innings scattered around 10 appearances and seven starts. She has sat down 62 batters and holds a 5-2 record with six complete games and one start. Alexa White (3.10 ERA, 29.1 IP, 22 K), Brandow (3.18 ERA, 22.0 IP, 17 K) and Kennedy Reyes (3.45 ERA, 22.1 IP, 14 K) are regulars in the Rams' starting rotation. 

WILDCAT WAYS
Johnson & Wales split a double feature with Wheaton on Tuesday. The Wildcats shutout the Lyons, 2-0, in the opener and fell 6-1 in the nightcap to move to 20-4 on the season.  

JWU's top seven bats are hitting over .400 and all have well over 20 hits over 24 games. Jill Pulek and Julia Huzi provide the one-two punch at the plate. Pulek has team-leading numbers in hits and RBI (31) on an impressive line of .440/.533/.893. Of her 33 hits, 17 have been for extra bases with seven doubles and homers, respectively, and three triples. Huzi, meanwhile, boasts 32 hits, 27 runs scored, 11 RBI on a .421 average. 

Pitching wise, the Wildcats cycle through four different starters. Mackenzie Clee holds down the ace role with a 1.17 ERA over 24.0 innings pitched and 12 strikeouts. Sage Borkowski has seen the most time of 32.1 innings of work in which she built a 2.38 ERA and holds nine punchouts. Katie Scheid (31.1 IP, 2.23 ERA, 21 K) and Summer Ramundo (31.1 IP, 4.47 ERA, 27 K) round out JWU's starters. Reliefer Sydney Gabay has held down the rubber in her 8.0 frames over six appearances with a 0.88 ERA and five Ks. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, Johnson & Wales series dates back to 2000. 
• The Rams trail the all-time series, 20-22. 
• The foes will meet for the first time since April 28, 2019 where Suffolk fell 10-6 in the nightcap to the Wildcats. 
• To this point, all 42 games have between the Rams and Wildcats have come as conference contests or postseason league outings. 
• The blue-and-gold looks to snap a four-game skid against Johnson & Wales.
• The last Suffolk win against the Wildcats came March 29, 2018, 6-1. 
• Suffolk is 9-8 as the home team against JWU and 11-9 when playing at the Wildcats home diamond. 
• The Rams have never defeated Johnson & Wales on a neutral surface (0-5).
• There have been a dozen shutouts in the series. Suffolk is 5-7 against JWU when a team is kept off the scoreboard. 
• The last shutout in the series came in a 6-0 decision in favor of the Wildcats, May 5, 2018. 
• The last time Suffolk shutout JWU was, a 5-0 decision April 10, 2007. 

EYES ON THE GAME 
 

COLONELS CATCHUP
Curry (5-22, 1-7 CCC) has gone winless since March 23 and looks to snap that skid Saturday when it hosts Suffolk.  

Emily Bussiere's bat leads the way with 24 hits on a .338 average for four RBI and 10 runs scored. Taylor McDermott has contributed 22 hits on a .314 average with six RBI and seven runs scored. Natalia Okleasky has brought in 10 runs to lead the team there behind 15 hits and scored 11 herself, also a team high.

The Colonels pitching staff is three deep. Jillian Rogers has seen the most time in 58.1 innings of work. She holds a 5.64 ERA and has fanned 40 hitters. Hailey King has the most experience appearance wise with 13, including 11 starts (51.0 IP, 5.22 ERA, 22 K), while and Caitlyn Wood holds the best ERA of the bunch at 3.46 (52.2 IP, 19 K).

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk sits 22-10 all-time against Curry. 
• The Rams last met the Colonels in a double feature April 11, 2017.
• The blue-and-gold swept Curry in that twinbill to push its win streak to five games. 

EYES ON THE GAME

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk has back-to-back non-conference clashes making up its midweek action next week as the Rams head to UMass Boston Tuesday, April 19 before hosting Emmanuel at East Boston Memorial Park Wednesday, April 20.