CLERMONT, Fla. – Suffolk softball took an early lead and never let go of it to take down Utica, 6-4, in the first game of The Spring Games Sunday afternoon at Legends Way Complex.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 6 | Utica 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-1) | Utica (1-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Utica jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to a lead-off triple by Mya Strong to right followed by a Meghan Paul single that scored the game-opening run. 
• The Rams responded with a four-run bottom half of the inning to grab the advantage 4-1. The scoring came behind three hits and one Pioneers' error. A walk, hit by pitch and wild pitch put Ava Lanza and Jolie Quintana on third and second, respectively. Julia Mills fly ball landed in right to bring the tying-run in, before Roma Braid's base hit through the left side plated Quintana for the lead.  The scoring did not stop there as Lily Newhall laced a single through the left side that brought around Mills and bobble in left field allowed Braid to come around as well. 
• Extra base hits factored in for Utica once again in the top of the second as Madeline Waddel led things off with a double to left and Candice Daigle traded places with her with a two-bagger of her own to the opposite side of the outfield. Lily Mazur singled to push Daigle to third in time for her to tag up on Strong's fly out to right that trimmed the blue-and-gold's cushion to one, 4-3. 
• Lily Newhall found herself in a bases loaded one out jam. Dana Still managed to glove a pop out in left for the second out before the senior sat Paul down looking to keep the edge in the blue-and-gold's favor. 
• Suffolk restored the three-run margin in the home half of the fourth. Claire Basaldua got the frame underway with a double to left center before Charis Fenter took her spot on the bags. Fenter put her running shoes on when Giavanna Bellino barreled a single up the middle to score the first run of the inning. All the bases filled up with a Catherine Carignan walk and Lanza single in time for Quintana's productive out to right that plated Bellino and made it a 6-3 Rams' game. 
• Newhall escaped a bases chucked situation with no damage in the fifth, but the same could not be said for the sixth. The Pioneers rallied with two outs as Strong doubled to center to keep the inning going and Paul knocked a single to left to put runners in the corners. When Alexa Thompson walked, the erratic pitch rolled to the back stop and allowed Strong to cross home and trim the distance down to two, 6-4. 
• The score stayed there as Cynthia Rucinski came in to close out the game. Despite two hits off Utica's bats, the reliever and the Rams defense put the game away.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall notched her first victory of the season with a four-run, 12-hit, two-walk, three-strikeout performance over 6.0 innings. 
• Rucinski registered 1.0 inning of scoreless relief with two hits and two punchouts to her credit. 
• Caroline Porter took the loss as she allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits and four walks with three Ks over 5.0 frames. 
• Emily Lehane posted 1.0 inning of scoreless relief with two walks and one K. 

STATISTCALLY SPEAKING

• Mills logged a 2-for-3 plate performance with two RBI and one run scored. 
• Braid added one hit, one RBI and one run. 
• Newhall notched one hit and one RBI. 
• Basaldua was responsible for the Rams' lone extra-baser hit in a double. 
• Bellino tallied one hit, one RBI and two walks. 
• Lanza logged one hit, one run, two walks and one stolen base. 
• Carignan chipped in two walks and one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Utica met for the second time in program history, first since March 17, 2008. 
• The Rams defeated the Pioneers for the first time to move to 1-1 in the all-time series. 
• Both battles between Suffolk and Utica have taken place on a neutral diamond. 
• Rucinski recorded her first save of the season. 
• Mills put together her third multi-hit game of the season. The junior has hit in back-to-back games. 
• Braid has produced one hit in two consecutive contests. 
• Basaldua has notched hits in two straight outings. She produced her first collegiate extra-base knock.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up the first day of The Spring Games this afternoon against Regis.