Conley Twirls as Softball Walks Off in Game One with Nichols, 1-0

EAST BOSTON – Ira Boci backstopped a true pitcher's dual highlighted by the twirling of Ashlyn Conley Saturday afternoon before she put on her hero hitting cap and barreled a one-run, stand-up double to send the Rams past Nichols in the opener of a Commonwealth Coast Conference series Saturday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Nichols 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-14, 3-4 CCC) | Nichols (10-12, 3-4 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
All the drama was at the circle through the first five frames as Conley did her job for the blue-and-gold and Olivia Pedro worked a no-hitter. 

Suffolk started to figure Pedro out in the fifth as the Rams filled the bases looking to be the first to break onto the board. Pedro successfully played Lily O'Neil's grounded to first to keep things locked at zero.  

Nichols saw a chance in the next half inning. Mary Jo-Laudati ran for Bailey Littlefield, who logged a one-out single to left field. The pinch runner took second on a passed ball to get into scoring position in time for Allie SSilliman's at bat. The Bison's first baseman slugged a deep hit to right field. Ava Brandow managed to chase it down in time to hold Jo-Laudati on third, where she would be stranded as Suffolk's defense backed up Conley for the next two outs. 

Caitlin Murphy led off the home half of the inning with a triple to right. Pedro would go on to retire the side though and the game headed to the seventh scoreless.  

Conley's composure paid off as she took Nichols down in order to set Suffolk up for a walk-off. 

With two outs, Lily Gustafson worked a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Boci sauntered to the plate and sent a high shot to right field that allowed Gustafson to come in and push the Rams to the 1-0 victory.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Conley put together an eight-hit, no-walk, five-strikeout, complete-game shutout. 
• Pedro registered a one-run, five-hit, two-walk, three-strikeout effort.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Boci went 2-for-3 at the dish with a double and was responsible for bringing in the only run of the day. 
• Murphy had one hit, a triple.
• Gustafson added one hit, one walk and one run.  
• Scripter supplied one hit.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk is 3-2 all-time against Nichols. 
• The blue-and-gold is 1-0 in East Boston versus the Bison. 
• The Rams are unbeaten, 3-0, against Nichols under Janet Maguire's guidance. 
• Suffolk has won three in a row against the Bison. 
• A team was kept off the scoreboard in the Suffolk, Nichols series for the first time. 
• Suffolk shutout an opponent for the first time since a 2-0 shutout over Wentworth April 23, 2022. 
• The Rams had a walk-off win since defeating Simmons 3-2 via walk-off fashion in game two of a double header March 26, 2022.
• The complete-game shutout, was not only a first for Conley, but marked the sophomore's first collegiate win in the circle.  

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up the CCC twinbill with Nichols this afternoon.