Softball Rebounds in Nightcap, Shutouts Nichols, 2-0

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lily Newhall threw a three-hit, two-walk, complete-game shutout to help Suffolk softball defeat Nichols, 2-0, in the nightcap of a Conference of New England doubleheader Friday night at Briggs Field on MIT's campus.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Nichols 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (14-15, 8-5 CNE) | Nichols (26-10, 11-5 CNE) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
A lead-off, stand-up double off Catherine Carignan's bat in the bottom of the first helped Suffolk grab a 1-0 early edge. Lily Gustafson's sac bunt moved Carignan to third and Ava Brandow looked to sacrifice herself as well with a high fly ball to center. Riley Chartier was unable to grab the out as it hit off her glove, which allowed Carignan to score.  

Three innings later, Nichols had runners on first and second thanks to a double and single. Newhall came up big as she fanned Emily Gour swinging and grabbed Bailey Littlefield's line out back to the circle to keep the Bison scoreless.  

The Rams doubled the distance in the home half of the inning. Singles by Julia Mills and Lily Newhall put two ducks in the pond for Avery Carvalho, who brought the front runner in on a base hit of her own up the middle to pad the margin at a pair, 2-0.

Nichols threatened in the sixth thanks to back-to-back walks. Mills and Sara Butera converted a routine ground out to second to keep the Bison off the board. 

After the Rams went down in order in the sixth, Newhall retired the side in the top of the seventh, with a swinging K for the final out of the day, to preserve the win. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall compiled a three-hit, two-walk, four-strikeout, complete-game effort. 
• Molly Medor took the loss as she gave up two runs on five hits and one walk with two punchouts In 6.0 innings.  

STATISCALLY SPEAKING

• Carignan contributed one hit, a double, and one run. 
• Mills logged one hit, one run and one swiped bag.
• Jolie Quintana recorded one hit. 
• Brandow brought in one run. 
• Carvalho logged one hit, one RBI and one sac. 
• Newhall added one hit. 
• Gustafson tallied one walk, one sac and one stolen base. 

NOTEWORTHY

• The Rams snapped a four-game skid against the Bison. 
• Suffolk moved to 5-6 all-time versus Nichols. 
• The Rams took down the Bison under Megan Cook's guidance for the first time.
• Suffolk is now 1-4 versus Nichols in the Cook era. 
• The win was Suffolk's first over Nichols since a 5-4 win in the nightcap of a doubleheader April 15, 2023. 
• Suffolk and Nichols competed at a neutral diamond for the third time. 
• The Rams defeated the Bison on a neutral field for the first time. 
• Suffolk is now 1-2 versus Nichols on a neutral field. 
• Tonight's decision was the third shutout in the all-time series. 
• Suffolk is now 2-1 when a team is kept off the scoreboard in the series with the Bison.
• The shutout was the first between Suffolk and Nichols since April 15, 2023 when the Rams blanked the Bison, 1-0. 
• Suffolk blanked its second opponent of the season. 
• The shutout is the first for the Rams since a 7-0 triumph at Simmons March 22, 2025. 
• Newhall threw her third complete-game shutout of her Suffolk career, first since May 22, 2025 at Simmons. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Rams take tomorrow off before they head across town to Wentworth Sunday, April 27. Game one is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.