Softball Bounces Back in Nightcap with RWU, Wins 7-5

BOSTON – Unlike the opener, Suffolk softball's sixth-inning rally paid off in the nightcap as the Rams took down Roger Williams in Commonwealth Coast Conference action, 7-5, Sunday night at Rotch Field. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 7 | Roger Williams 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-11, 1-1 CCC) | Roger Williams (7-12, 1-1 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk went on the board first in the bottom of the second. Ally Cifaratta doubled to right center before scoring on Savannah Scripter's single to right field to push the blue-and-gold ahead 1-0.  

An inning later, the Rams padded their advantage thanks to small ball. Lily O'Neil and Caitlin Murphy bunted for base hits. Suffolk pitcher Ava Brandow helped herself out as she brought in O'Neil on a base hit to center. Ella Turnbull had a productive ground out to five that plated Murphy and made it a 3-0 game. 

Roger Williams made things interesting in the top of the fifth as it evened things up at 3-all with three runs on two hits, a hit by pitch, one walk and one Suffolk error. 

The Hawks grabbed the lead in the top of the sixth as the tacked on two runs to make it a 5-3 game in their favor.  

Base hits from Scripter and Ira Boci followed by a walk by Lily Gustafson loaded the bases for Suffolk. Roger Williams went to their bull pen as Taylor Myers came in to shove for Nicole Corey. The fresh wing was no match for O'Neil who lobbed a single to center field that brought in pinch runner Sophia Barker. Boci, who advanced to third on O'Neil's hit, read the defense and used stealthy base running to sneak into home on the throwback to the Hawks pitcher to lock things at 5-all.  

After an appeal, Boci's run was called safe and momentum was on Suffolk's die. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, but Myers locked up a pair of outs. Brandow barreled a two-out single to left field that clear the bases and pushed the Rams ahead again, 7-5.  

Gustafson gloved a pop up at second to put the first out of the top of the seventh on the board. From there, the conference contest was an edge-of-your-seat finish as Brandow walked Kelsey Burr, which brought up the tying run. Thankfully, the Rams defense backed-up Suffolk's twirler and successfully fielded the next two balls put into play to lock up the conference victory.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Brandow put together a five-run (three-earned), six-hit, eight-walk, three-strikeout, complete-game win.
• Corey suffered the setback after giving up three runs on two hits and one walk in 1.0 inning of relief. 
• Natalie Lundari started for the Hawks and put together a three-run, six-hit, two-walk, two-punchout performance in 4.0 innings. 
• Taylor Myers closed for RWU and let up one run on two hits.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brandow brought in three runs on a 2-for-4 effort. 
• O'Neil went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. 
• Murphy produced a 2-for-4 performance with one run. 
• Scripter was 2-for-2 at the dish with one RBI and one walk. 
• Cifratta chipped in one hit, a double, and one run scored. 
• Boci recorded on RBI and one hit. 
• Barker and Gustafson both scored one run. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk is 8-6 all-time against Roger Williams. 
• The Rams snapped a five-game skid against the Hawks. 
• The blue-and-gold defeated RWU for the first time since a 9-1 decision May 1, 2021.
• As the home team, Suffolk is 3-2 versus RWU. 
• Suffolk defeated the Hawks under Janet Maguire's leadership for the first time. 
• O'Neil matched a personal-best in hits (2) and scored a career-high two runs. 
• Brandow brought in a season-high three RBI.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk heads to Wenham, Massachusetts, Tuesday, April 4 for a CCC twinbill with a game one 2:30 p.m. first pitch.