Nichols Next for Softball in CNE Tournament

SUFFOLK vs. NICHOLS
Date Time Venue Video Live Stats Series Last Meeting Last Suffolk Win Streak	Thursday, May 8 11:00 AM Nichols Softball Field Dudley, Mass. CNE Sports Network NicholsAthletics.com 5-6 April 25, 2025, W, 2-0 Same Won 1

BOSTON – The fifth-seeded Suffolk softball team looks to avoid elimination in the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament tomorrow, Thursday, May 8 as it takes on second seed Nichols at 11:00 a.m. 

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2025 CNE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Wednesday, May 8
Game 1: No. 3 Western New England defeated No. 6 Wentworth, 8-7 ^ – Box Score
Game 2: No. 4 Roger Williams defeated No. 5 Suffolk, 1-0 * – Box Score
Game 3: No. 3 Western New England defeated No. 2 Nichols, 4-3 – Box Score
Game 4: No. 1 Endicott defeated No. 4 Roger Williams – 4-3 (8) – Box Score

Thursday, May 9 
Game 5: No. 5 Suffolk at No. 2 Nichols – 11:00 AM ! – Live Stats | Live Video
Game 6: No. 4 Roger Williams vs. No. 6 Wentworth – 1:30 PM ^ - Live Stats | Live Video
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 5 ^ - Live Stats | Live Video
Game 8: No. 3 Western New England at No. 1 Endicott – 2:30 PM # – Live Stats | Live Video

Friday, May 10
Game 9: Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 7
Game 10: Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9

Saturday, May 11
Game 11: Winner of Game 10 vs. Loser of Game 10 (if necessary) – 30 minutes after game 10

^ Nichols Softball – at Nichols – Dudley, Mass. | * Softball Complex – at Endicott – Beverly, Mass.
! Suffolk is Home Team | # Western New England is Home Team

MORE INFO: CNE Tournament Central 

SUFFOLK IN THE CNE TOURNAMENT

• Suffolk is in its fourth straight trip to the CNE Tournament. 
• The Rams are competing in the CNE postseason as the fifth seed for the first time. 
• Overall, Suffolk is 1-7 in the CNE postseason. 
• The Rams are 0-4 when playing at Endicott's Softball Complex in the CNE postseason.
• The Rams are 1-5 in the Megan Cook era in the CNE Tournament. 
• There have been three shutouts for Suffolk in the CNE Tournament. 
• The Rams are 1-2 when a team is kept off the scoreboard in the CNE postseason. 
• Two CNE Tournament games for Suffolk have been decided via run-rule, both came in 2023. 
• Suffolk is 0-2 when a game is determined via mercy-rule.
• The Rams have needed extra time to decide a winner in the CNE Tournament once, the 2024 CNE First Round Game against Nichols. 
• Suffolk fell in its only extra-inning CNE Tournament contest, 7-6, in 10 innings to Nichols.  

SUFFOLK IN CONFEREENCE POSTSEASON ACTION

• The Rams are in their 24th trip to the postseason, fourth straight. 
• Suffolk owns one conference crown to its credit, the inaugural Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title in 1996. 
• Suffolk is the fifth seed in a conference tournament for the second time in program history, first in its CNE tenure and first since 2014, when it played as the fifth seed in the GNAC Tournament. 
• The Rams are 2-3 as the fifth seed in a league's postseason play.
• The blue-and-gold has never hoisted a league banner when an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament has been on the line.    

LAST TIME OUT
In a classic pitcher's duel, Suffolk softball was unable to figure out Hawks' twirler Rachel Germano and the fifth-seeded Rams fell to fourth seed Roger Williams in the first round contest of the Conference of New England Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Endicott's Softball Complex.   

MORE READING: Roger Williams No Hits Softball in CNE First Round, 1-0 

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk lost a one-run game in the CNE First Round to Roger Williams Wednesday to move to 16-21 on the year.  

Catherine Carignan has been the leader at the plate for the blue-and-gold with team-best numbers in hits (45) and runs scored (25) to go along with 16 RBI, good for second on the squad. Julia Mills, meanwhile, has brought in a team-high 20 runs on 39 hits and scored 17 times herself. Lily Gustafson (33 H, 11 RBI, 17 R), Lily Newhall (28 H, 14 RBI, 13 R) and Ava Brandow (29 H, 11 RBI, 13 R) have been consistent contributors to the offense as well.   

Cynthia Rucinski got the start in game one of the CNE postseason. She let up five hits and one earned run in the 1-0 setback. This season, the sophomore has shoved 93.1 innings to hold a 3.08 ERA with 53 strikeouts to her credit. Newhall is the other go-to twirler for the blue-and-gold. She boasts a 3.02 ERA over 102.0 innings with 50 punchouts.  

BISON BREAKDOWN
Nichols (29-12) saw its three-game win streak come to an end in the first round of the CNE Tourney as the third-seeded Western New England snuck by the Bison, 4-3. 

The twosome of Ava Slavinsky (59 H, 18 RBI, 25 H) and Allie Silliman (50 H, 23 RBI, 31 R) provide a one-two punch for the Bison's bats that receive 45 hits, 22 RBI and 31 runs from Chloe Steiniger.  

Chelsea Indyk anchors Nichols' pitching staff with a 1.76 ERA over 155.1 innings pitched and 122 strikeouts. Molly Medor (96.2 IP, 2.97 ERA, 69 K) and Ally McNamee (32.2 IP, 4.71 ERA, 15 K) add depth in the circle. 

WE MEET AGAIN
Suffolk split its regular-season double header with Nichols April 25. The Rams fell in game one, 10-2, and blanked the Bison in the nightcap, 2-0.  

MORE READING: Nichols Takes Down Softball in Game 1, 10-2| Softball Rebounds in Nightcap, Shutouts Nichols, 2-0 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, Nichols series dates back to 1995. 
• The Rams and Bison have squared off 11 times. 
• Suffolk is 5-6 in the all-time series.
• In Boston, the Rams are 2-1.
• In Dudley, Massachusetts, Suffolk is 2-2.
• Suffolk is 1-3 at a neutral field versus Nichols.
• There have been three shutouts in the all-time series. 
• Suffolk is 1-2 when a team is kept off the scoreboard. 
• The last time a team was kept off the scoreboard was the last meeting, April 25, 2025, a 2-0 Suffolk win.  
• Six of the nine games have been decided via one-run, including the last meeting, May 7, 2024, a 7-6, 10-inning loss.
• There has been two extra-inning meeting between Suffolk and Nichols, including the last meeting. 
• Suffolk is 0-2 in extra-inning outings versus the Bison.
• The Rams and Bison will battle in the CNE postseason for the second time. 
• Suffolk is 0-1 in the CNE Tournament versus Nichols. 
• The last time Suffolk and Nichols battled in the CNE Tourney was May 7, 2024. The Bison bested the Rams in that outing, 7-6 in 10 innings. 
• Suffolk is 1-4 versus Nichols under Megan Cook's guidance. 

STATS SHOWDOWN

WHAT'S NEXT?
The winner remains in the CNE crown hunt and will take on the victor of the battle between fourth seed Roger Williams and sixth seed Wentworth in an elimination contest later today.