Baseball Opens 69th Season at Salem State Tuesday

BOSTON – For the first time in program history the Suffolk baseball team will open up its season in New England as the Rams travel to the North Shore Tuesday, March 8 for a showdown with Salem State. Suffolk's 69th season gets underway at the Vikings' Central Campus Baseball Field at 3:30 p.m.

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RAPID REWIND
After going 4-6 over their nine-day Florida trip in 2015, the Rams returned to a snow covered New England and dropped contests to eventual NCAA participants Salem State and Western New England before opening up Great Northeast Athletics Conference play, where they finished 9-5. Suffolk earned the No. 4 seed in the GNAC Tournament and opened with a decisive win over Albertus Magnus.

The Rams advanced to the GNAC Championship game for the ninth straight season and claimed their fifth conference title with a thrilling 4-3 walk-off victory over Johnson & Wales in the 13th inning April 13 at historic Holman Stadium in Nashua, New Hampshire.

In his first season at the helm Anthony Del Prete led the Rams back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2009. In the Big Dance, Suffolk suffered setbacks to Southern Maine and MIT to finish the season 18-26 overall.

BACK IN ACTION
Last year's leading bat, Jon Lapolla, returns to the lineup, but so do the dynamic duo of sophomore Brady Chant and senior Drew Carter. Lapolla led the Rams last season in batting average (.291), slugging percentage (.455) and on-base percentage (.429), which all ranked sixth among GNAC players. The senior catcher also produced the team best numbers in runs (27) and doubles (10).  Lapolla's classmates Rob Marks and Julien Plana will also return for their final year in blue-and-gold in the hopes of adding more firepower to the Rams offense.

Chuck Gibson returns to the hill for the Rams, looking to lead the deep Suffolk staff. Gibson hurled a team-high 48.2 inning last season, owning a 3.14 ERA and a 2-4 record in seven starts. The junior struck out 21 batters last year on the bump as well. Cal Carroll will step on the mound for the last time in his career in 2016. The senior right hander saved four games last year, the most by a pitcher in a Suffolk uniform in the program's 69-year history.

RUN DOWN ON THE RAMS
The Rams, which finished last season 18-26 (9-5 GNAC) looks to improve and repeat as GNAC Champions with a full roster and the addition of 12 newcomers. Suffolk features 19 position players and 14 pitchers (10 righties and four lefties) this season, owning a deep roster built for the long-haul.  

VIEW ON THE VIKINGS
Salem State will also kick off its 2016 campaign this week, but before welcoming in the Rams, the Vikings visit Endicott Monday afternoon.

The 2016 Vikings return a lot of experience from last year's team that advanced to the New England Regional semifinal before bowing to MIT 2-1 in the 12th inning. Seven of nine position starters will return, led by preseason All-American second baseman Richard Fecteau, while senior southpaw Sean Buckland and junior Michael Richardson look to lead Salem's pitching staff, which welcomes back the entire starting rotation from a year ago that produce a 3.27 team ERA in 2015.

COMING UP
Suffolk embarks on its Spring Break trip, which features 10 games over the course of nine days.