Softball Drops Game 1 at Nichols in Extras, 4-3

DUDLEY, Mass. – Suffolk softball fell in extra innings to Nichols in game one as the Bison bested the Rams, 4-3, in eight innings Saturday at the Nichols Softball Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Nichols 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-13, 3-2 CCC) | Nichols (11-10, 5-2 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk had a flurry of base runners over the first three innings – one in the opening, the bases chucked in the second and a pair of Rams in scoring position in the third. The Bison forced the blue-and-gold to strand the bases in each instance though to keep zeros on the scoreboard.  

A lead-off solo shot by Becky Zellin broke open the scoring and sent Suffolk on the board. The Rams went on to put all the ducks in the pond with a double, hit by pitch and walk. A fielder's choice when Julia Mills put the ball in play allowed Ava Brandow, who doubled, to come in safely and paid the margin to a pair. 

Lily Newhall twirled a no-no until the home half of the fifth when Erin Gour doubled to left. The sophomore arm did not let that phase her as she went on to retire the side to keep the lead in Suffolk's favor.  

Both sides left runners on in the sixth. Suffolk stranded the bags full for the second time on the afternoon, while Nichols kept the game-tying runs on the bases to keep it 2-0 Rams with six frames in the books. 

Gour's bat came up big once again for the Bison as the shortstop barreled a two-run bomb to right center in the home half of the seventh to level the playing field at 2-all.  

In extras, Zellin was placed on second, scooted over to third on Newhall's sac bunt and came in on a wild pitch by Nichols' twirler Cassidy Machado to give the blue-and-gold a 3-2 edge.  

Nichols used a bunt and a ground out to second to bring its ghost runner in and lock things at 3-all. Chloe Steiniger stung a triple down the right field line before Allie Silliman barreled a base hit to the opposite side of the field and send the Bison to victory.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall compiled a two-run, three-hit, two-walk, two-strikeout effort over 7.0 innings.
• Cynthia Rucinski took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits in 0.2 innings of relief. 
• Machado secured the win with a one-run, one-hit, one-walk, one-punchout performance over 4.0 frames out of the pen. 
• Chelsea Indyk started in the circle for Nichols and allowed two runs on five hits and two walks with one K in 4.0 innings of work.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brandow went 2-for-4 with one run. One of her hits was good for two bases. 
• Zellin provided one hit, a bomb, one RBI and two runs,
• Lily Gustafson, Catherine Carignan and Maddie Southers all had one hit each. 
• Cariginan's hit was a double. 
• Zellin and Newhall both put down a sac bunt.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Nichols went into extra innings for the first time. 
• The Rams are now 0-1 in extra innings against the Bison. 
• Suffolk moved to 4-3 against the Bison all-time. 
• In Dudley, Massachusetts, the Rams are now 2-1 versus the Bison. 
• Five of the seven games between Suffolk and Nichols have been decided by one run. 
• Suffolk played in extra innings in back-to-back battles for the first time in program history. 
• Suffolk moved to 1-1 in extra innings outings under Megan Cook's guidance. 
• The Rams knocked one ball out of the park in back-to-back games for the third time this season. 
• Zellin produced her fifth homer of the year.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk looks to split the conference doubleheader with the Bison this afternoon.