Error Costs Softball Game 1 of CCC Tournament to Wentworth, 3-2

BEVERLY, Mass. – Suffolk softball hung onto a two-run lead with a no-hitter by Jenny Jacob going into the fifth. An error on the Leopards lead-off allowed a Leopards base runner on and things unraveled from there for the Rams as Wentworth rallied behind that infield hiccup to put up three runs in the fifth and maintained the 3-2 margin the rest of the way to take the CCC Tournament opening contest away from the blue-and-gold Thursday at the Softball Complex at Endicott.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Wentworth 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (20-19) | Wentworth (22-15)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk got on the board first as Ira Boci barreled a no-doubter over the center field fence in the second inning. The sophomore plated Rebecca Zellin along with her to give the Rams a two-run edge. Zellin reached on an error by WIT's third baseman before Boci knocked the two-out bomb.  

The Rams had chances to extend their advantage in the next two innings. Suffolk stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the third and one in the fourth to keep things at 2-0.   

Things changed in the fifth. Ceilidh Higgins struck a hard-hit ball to Rebecca Gonzalez at short. Gonzalez grabbed it, but it the ball came lose, which allowed Higgins to take first. Erin Hancock attempted to bunt Higgins over, but the ball came back and hit Hancock, which gave the Leopard new life. Fortunately for her and Wentworth, Hanchock responded with a two-strike double to left field to bring in Higgins and trim the deficit down to one. Two strikeouts later, Kaitlin Pettengeer traded places with Hancock to level the playing field at 2-all. The damage was not done there was back-to-back base hits allowed the Leopards to score a third and go ahead. 

Hancock commanded the circle the rest of the way for the Leopards and took down the Rams in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh, for the 3-2 final.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Jacob dipped to 9-4 on the year after letting up three runs, all unearned, on six hits, two walks and nine strikeouts in a complete-game effort. 
• Hancock allowed two runs, both unearned, on five hits in 7.0 innings with six punchouts.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Boci brought in both runs on her hit, a homer, and scored one run herself. 
• Jolie Quintana went 2-for-3 with a double. 
• Zellin added one hit and scored one run. 
• Ally Cifaratta recorded one hit.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk made its CCC postseason debut. 
• The Rams battled the Leopards on a neutral diamond for the first time in program history. 
• Boci produced her third home run of her collegiate career, all of which came this season.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk faces Roger Williams, the field's eighth seed, in the elimination game this afternoon.