Softball Takes Thrilling Comeback Over Wheaton, 6-4

KISSIMEE, Fla. – Down one in the seventh, Suffolk softball put together a two-out three-run rally with help from three Lyons' errors to defeat Wheaton, 6-4, Thursday afternoon at Fortune Road at The Springs Games.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 6 | Wheaton 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-5) | Wheaton (4-5) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
A bases loaded hit by pitch allowed Wheaton to sneak ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first.  

Two innings later, the Lyons lengthened their lead to 2-0 on a wild pitch with the bases full. 

Ella Turnbull broke up the no-hitter in the top of the fifth and Suffolk's bench came alive. The junior singled up the middle and was replaced on the bags by Ashley Hubner. The freshman swiftly swiped second and third before Becky Zellin walked to put the tying run on and Lily Gustafson bunted for a base hit to fill the bags. Back-to-back walks by Maddie Southers and Jolie Quintana brought runs to level the playing field at 2-all.  

Wheaton made a change in the circle as Ashlyn Burt came in to twirl for Sofia De La Rosa. A wild pitch during Catherine Carignan's allowed Lily O'Neil, who reached on a fielder's choice, sprint in and send Suffolk in front, 3-2.  

The lead was short lived for the Rams as the Lyons leapt in front, 4-3. Ella Molinar was hit by a pitch and ran in on Peyton Blankenheim-Brown's double to right field to even things at three. Bryanna Agan traded places with Blankenheim-Brown with a two-bagger of her own to put Suffolk in a one-run hole.  

Cynthia Rucinski shoved a three-up, three-down bottom of the sixth to keep the one-run game intact.  

The Lyons made their second change in the circle as Amber Arcand came into shove the seventh. The reliever got two quick outs with help from her fielders to bring up Southers. The sophomore slugged a 0-2 double down the left field line Southers and used a pair of Wheaton erratic throws to take third and score the game-tying run. 

Errors continued for the Lyons and the Rams capitalized to keep the inning going. Julia Mills juiced the bags as the freshman worked a walk on an eight-pitch at bat to bring up Turnbull. The junior knocked a single to right field to plate two runners and flip the script in Suffolk's favor, 6-4.  

The ending had a flair for the dramatics. Wheaton traded outs with walks before Taylor Barry walked to put all the ducks in the pond. After a players' meeting at the rubber, Cynthia Rucinski gained composure and forced Jillian Rohon to hit in a popup to short, which Gustafson gloved to seal Suffolk's first-ever win over Wheaton.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Cynthia Rucinski put together a four-run, four-hit, eight-walk, four-strikeout, complete-game victory. 
• Arcand took the loss after giving up three runs, all unearned, on two hits and two walks in 1.0 inning of relief. 
• Starter De La Rosa allowed three runs on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts in her collegiate debut.
• Burt came in for 1.1 inning of scoreless, hitless relief with one walk allowed.   

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Turnbull went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. 
• Southers supplied one hit, a double. She added one RBI, one walk and scored one run. 
• Gustafson added one hit and one run. 
• Quitana brought in one run, had one walk and one run scored as well. 
• Carignan, Zellin and O'Neil all scored one run apiece.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk met Wheaton for the fifth first, first since 2006. 
• For the first time in program history Suffolk defeated Wheaton. 
• The Rams moved to 1-3 all-time against the Lyons. 
• The Rams and the Lyons have only played on neutral diamonds.
• Suffolk scored a program-best six runs against Wheaton. The six runs versus the Lyons upstage the previous mark of three runs in the first-ever meeting, a 9-3 loss in 2001. 
• Cynthia Rucinski recorded her first collegiate victory in the circle. 
• Turnbull tied a career-high two hits. 
• Hubner stole a career high two bases. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up action at The Spring Games tomorrow, Friday, March 15 against Ithaca and Montclair State at Legends Way in Clermont, Florida.