KISSIMMEE, Fla.. – The Suffolk University softball team scored three times with two outs in the seventh inning to overcome a one-run deficit and defeat Wheaton College (Mass.), 6-4, today at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of the Spring Games.
The Lyons slip to 4-5 on the season, while the Rams improve to 5-5.
Wheaton pitching held Suffolk to just four hits, but the Rams took advantage of four Lyon errors in the game.
Wheaton owned a 2-0 lead after four innings of play, before Suffolk scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. The Lyons scored twice in the bottom of the frame to reclaim the lead at 4-3, before the Rams scored the deciding runs in the seventh.
First year first base Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) led Wheaton at the plate, going 1-3 with a double and two runs batted in, while senior third base Bryanna Agan (Averill Park, N.Y.) was 1-2 with a double, an RBI and two walks. First year hurler Sofia De La Rosa (Middle Village, N.Y.) was saddled with the loss in her first collegiate start in the circle, giving up three runs on just two hits and four walks to go with five strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings of work.
Junior designated player Ella Turnbull (Murrieta, Calif.) paced the Rams at the plate with a 2-3 effort that included a walk and two runs batted in, while sophomore center fielder Maddie Southers (Mystic, Conn.) was 1-2 with a walk, a double, a run scored and an RBI. First year starting pitcher Cynthia Rucisnski (Milltown, N.J.) earned the complete game victory, allowing four runs on four hits and eight walks in addition to four strikeouts.
Sophomore relief pitcher Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) retired the first two batters she faced in the top of the seventh for the Lyons, before Suffolk put its winning rally together with the help of four Wheaton errors. Southers smacked a double and came around to score on the play on a combination of errant throws by the Lyon outfield and infield to tie the game at 4-4. Junior catcher Jolie Quintana (Lynn, Mass.) and sophomore left fielder Catherine Carignan (Litchfield, N.H.) both reached on back-to-back errors, before first year second base Julia Mills (Westborough, Mass.) drew a walk to load the bases for the Rams. Turnbull came through with the decisive blow, serving a two-run single to right field to plate Quintana and Carignan to give Suffolk a 6-4 margin.
Wheaton threatened to get the runs back in the bottom of the seventh when Blankenheim reached on a fielder's choice, followed by consecutive free passes issued to Agan and first year designated player Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) to load the bases with two outs. Rucisnski got out of the jam for the Rams by inducing a pop up to shortstop to end the game and secure the win.
The Lyons got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 edge. Junior left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) and junior center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) opened the frame with back-to-back walks and senior shortstop Lindsey Oliveira (Westport, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice to fill the sacks with no outs. Rucisnski was able to get two outs, but hit Blankenheim-Brown with a pitch to place her on first and force in Zito with the game's first run.
Wheaton doubled its lead with a run in the third to make it 2-0. Oliveira smacked a lead-off double to left field and later scampered home on a wild pitch to score the Lyons' second run.
Suffolk crossed the plate three times in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 edge. The Rams loaded the bases with two outs and tied the contest with consecutive base on balls drawn by Southers and Quintana to pull Suffolk even at 2-2. Senior pinch-hitter Lily O'Neil (Abington, Mass.), who had previously reached on a fielder's choice, raced home with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch to make it 3-2 for the Rams.
Wheaton flexed some muscle at the plate in the bottom of the frame to reclaim the lead at 4-3. First year second base Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and came around to score on a double to right field off the bat of Blankenheim-Brown to tie the score at 3-3. Agan traded places with Blankenheim-Brown with a double of her own to right-center to give the Lyons the lead.
Wheaton returns to action later today when it takes on State University of New York Geneseo at 1:30 p.m., while the Rams play Ithaca College tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. at Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont, Fla.
