Softball Run Ruled in Nightcap Against UNE

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk softball's offense was limited to the first inning, while the University of New England poured in multiple runs over all, but one frame, en route to a 14-5, five-inning, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory for the Nor'Easters Friday night at a chilly East Boston Memorial Park.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | UNE 15
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-14, 2-4 CCC) | UNE (6-16, 3-3 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
In one of the windiest days in Eastie, a hard-hit ball was struck to left field where Caitlin Murphy got her glove on it, but ultimately it bobbled out of the leather. That game-opening mishap resulted in two runs for the Nor'Easters which forced Suffolk to play catch-up early on. 

Suffolk righted the wrong and then some in the home half of the first frame. Ally Cifaratta and Ava Brandow lobbed base hits to center and right before Delaney Doidge rocked a no-doubt jack over the center field fence to push the host ahead, 3-2. 

The scoring did not stop there as Bella Rocha-Medeiros and Lily Gustafson collected RBIs on a base hit to right and a fielder's choice, respectively, to make it a 5-2 Suffolk game with one inning in the books.  

The lead did not last long for the Rams as the Nor'Easters put up three runs in the next half inning to even things up at 5-all. 

Suffolk was kept scoreless in the bottom of the second, before UNE burst out to four runs in the third to stretch its advantage to 9-5. 

In the bottom of the fourth the Rams had a chance to level the playing field as they chucked the bags with one out. Power hitters Doidge and Savannah Scripter both went to looking though to keep Suffolk in a four-run hole. 

The Nor'Easters offense got going again in the fifth as they piled on five runs to turn on the mercy-rule.  

UNE got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning quickly. Pinch hitter Sophia Barker drew a walk and Catherine Carignan and Caitlin Murphy both singled to keep the game going. With the bases loaded, Cifaratta grounded out to third and Suffolk's setback was sealed. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Conley took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits and one walk in 1.0 inning of relief. 
• Rocha-Medeiros started and allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits and two walks with one strikeout in 1.1 inning of work. 
• Ella Turnbull (4 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB) and Diana Rucinski (1 R, 3 H, 1 K) came out of the pen for the Rams as well.
• Mia Micucci earned the victory after throwing 4.0 innings of scoreless relief with six hits and two walks allowed with a pair of punchouts. 
• Mackenzie Susko started for the Nor'Easters and put together a five-run, six-hit effort in the first inning. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brandow went 3-for-3 with one run. 
• Doidge brought in three runs on one hit, a bomb, and scored once. 
• Carignan contributed a 2-for-3 effort. 
• Cifaratta and Boci had one hit and one run each. The latter swiped one bag. 
• Murphy, Scripter and Turnbull added on hit each.
• Maddie Southers supplied one run and one stolen base.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Doidge hit her second collegiate homer, both of which have come this season. 
• Rocha-Medeiros had her first collegiate hit. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is off for the next week as it prepares for a Saturday, April 15 showdown with Nichols in Eastie.