Baseball Rallies Against Albertus Magnus in Nightcap, 7-2, Sweeps Series

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk baseball had an answer for each of Albertus Magnus' runs and rattled off a four-run, two-out sixth inning to defeat the Falcons, 7-2, in the nightcap of a GNAC doubleheader Saturday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 7 | Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-7-1, 3-0 GNAC) | Albertus Magnus (7-8, 1-2 GNAC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Base hits that never left the infield gave the Falcons the chance to break open the scoring first. The Rams limited the damage to one run and made up the ground in the home half of the inning. Unlike Albertus, Suffolk used the long ball to get on the board. Rich Gilbride led off with a triple down the right field line and Ben Isaak did his job with a sac fly to right field to even the playing field at 1-all.  

Four scoreless frames ensued before Albertus Magnus got in on the long-ball game with a solo shot to right center to put the Falcons ahead 2-1 in the top of the fifth.  

A Rams response came in the next half inning and a new leader emerged. Once again an extra-base hit was the ingredient as Isaak was waiting in scoring position after reaching on a single and taking second on an over throw by the Falcon's third baseman. Blase Cormier smoked the ball to left center to score Isaak and even the score at 2-2. A pitching change and an out later Tim Brigham brought the go-ahead run in on a single to left field to flip the script in Suffolk's favor, 3-2.  

Insurance came for the blue-and-gold in the bottom of the sixth. A two-out rally began when Gilbride doubled down the left field line and plated Isaak, before Cormier collected two RBI on a double of his own to push the distance to four. The Falcons made another change on the mound, but the doubles continued with a ground-ruler for Will Hopkins that stretched the margin to 7-2.  

The Falcons put up a fight in the top of the seventh. Tyriq Harris started things off with a single, but the Rams turned a 463 double play to keep them quiet. The Clark brothers Brandon and Brendan kept Albertus Magnus alive with a double to left center followed by a base on balls. Kevin Sinatra secured the decision as the senior southpaw fanned Matt Warren swinging.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Sinatra picked up the win behind a complete-game, two-run, nine-hit, two-walk, two-strikeout outing. 
• Shawn McFeggan slipped to 0-2 after giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits, two walks and one punchout over 4.1 frames. 
• Dan DeBartolomeo worked 1.1 inning of relief and let up four runs on four hits and one walk with two Ks to his credit. 
• Jay Palais pitched the final 0.1 of action and allowed one hit.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Sixty percent (6-10) of Suffolk's hits went for extra-bases – four doubles and a pair of triples. 
• Cormier went produced half of the Rams' doubles with both of his knocks on the day good for two bags. He brought in three runs and scored two himself. 
• Gilbride recorded a pair of extra-base hits as well with one double and one triple to his credit. The junior shortstop tallied two runs and one RBI. 
• Hopkins had two hits on the day including one double for one RBI. 
• Isaak scored two runs and walked twice to along with one hit and one RBI, respectively. 
• Lee added one hit and one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk rattled off its seventh consecutive triumph over Albertus Magnus to improve to 39-8 all-time against the Falcons. 
• Under Anthony Del Prete, Suffolk moves to 10-1 against Albertus. 
• Sinatra moved to 3-1 on the season. 
• Cormier produced a career-high two doubles and matched a personal-best three RBI.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk is back in East Boston tomorrow for two conference clashes against Colby Sawyer. The Rams, who will bat first as the visitors, are scheduled for a 10:30 a.m. first pitch against the Chargers.