DUDLEY, Mass. – Down 5-0, Suffolk softball bounced back late and scored three runs in the seventh to defeat Nichols, 8-6, Saturday afternoon in game two of a Conference of New England doubleheader at the Nichols Softball Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8 | Nichols 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-7, 1-1 CNE) | Nichols (5-7, 1-1 CNE)  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Nichols started strong with three runs in the first behind three hits and one walk.
• That distance nearly doubled in the second as the Bison used three more hits and one walk to put the Rams in a 5-0 hole. 
• Suffolk made up some ground in the fourth as Lily Newhall barreled a two-run homer to center to bring the blue-and-gold within three, 5-2.
• The Rams comeback carried into the top of the fifth. Free bases with a Roma Braid walk, Dana Still hit by pitch put two ducks in the pond in time for Jolie Quintana's one-run base hit to left. This made Nichols make a change in the circle as Olivia Pedro came in to twirl for Molly Medor. The Bison attempted to get the lead runner when Ava Lanza put the ball into play, but Still slid into third safe to fill the bases. Catherine Carignan put on her hero cape as she laced a single to left center that brought in two runs to lock the game at 5-all. 
• Nichols snuck in front in the bottom of the sixth. Sydney Hicks reached base on balls, stole second and landed on third thanks to Madison Scribner's ground out to first. Littlefield hit the play into play and Suffolk's defense went to make the play at the plate, but Hicks slid in safely to give the Bison a 6-5 edge. 
• Suffolk righted the wrong in the top of the seventh. Base hits by Still and Quintana put runners on first and second. Lanza laid down a bunt on the third base line to push the runners over. After Carignan flew out to center, Julia Mills barreled a single up the middle the scored the tying run in Still. Quintana turned the corner and stayed at third as the Bison's defense got the ball in, but the throw went to the backstop and Quintana sprinted in and slid home to push the Rams in front. Newhall's one-run single up the middle added insurance and gave the blue-and-gold an 8-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. 
• Nichols used a pinch hitter to get the bottom of the inning underway in Micaela Fortier. She singled down the left field line to bring the tying run to the plate. Suffolk's defense helped Newhall retire the side from there and preserve the game two win for the Rams. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall earned the decision as she allowed six runs on 10 hits and seven walks with three strikeouts through 7.0 innings. 
• Pedro took the loss as she allowed three runs, one earned, on six hits with one strikeout in 3.0 innings of relief. 
• Medor started and let up five runs, all earned, on three hits and two walks with five punchouts in 4.0 frames of action.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Newhall helped her cause at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance that included one dinger for three RBI and one run scored. 
• Mills and Quintana both went 2-for-4 as well with two runs and one RBI each. 
• Carignan brought in two runs on one hit. 
• Still scored twice and had one hit. 
• Braid tallied one hit, one run and one walk. 
• Claire Basaldua drew one walk. 
• Lanza put down one sac. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk moved to 5-8 all-time against Nichols. 
• Newhall knocked her first homer in her Suffolk career. 
• Quintana (9 games, 14 hits), Nichols (2 games, 3 hits) and Newhall (2 games, 4 hits) extended their hit streaks.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is back at it tomorrow, Sunday, March 22 with a double feature at Emerson. Game one is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.