Baseball Charges Past Colby Sawyer, 8-4, in Game 1

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk baseball defeated Colby Sawyer, 8-4, Sunday morning as it opened a twinbill with the newest GNAC member as the visiting team at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8 | Colby Sawyer 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-7-1, 5-0 GNAC) | Colby Sawyer (3-13, 1-2 GNAC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk built a 2-0 lead in the first frame after going through two thirds of its order. Rich Gilbride started from the get-go as the lead-off hitter struck a single up the middle and stole second to sit in scoring position. He didn't have to wait long to come in as Blase Cormier hit a double to left center to bring in the first run of the day. Cormier came around behind a single up the middle from Will Hopkins, which built the two-run cushion for the blue-and-gold. 

Colby Sawyer cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second, but Suffolk made up the ground in the top of the third with a pair of runs. Hopkins's second single in as many plate appearances earned the centerfielder his second RBI of the day as Trevor Lee, who walked and stole second, scored. Hopkins then came around courtesy a Tim Brigham double to turn it into a 4-1 Suffolk score.  

An inning later the Rams advantage improved to four. Gilbride kept the inning going with a two-out double and Lee brought the runner around on a single to right.  

The Chargers matched the Rams' one-run output with one of their own in the fourth, before a two-run dinger by Tim Unczur in the home half of the fifth made things interesting, bringing Colby Sawyer within one of Suffolk, 5-4.  

Suffolk regained a two-run edge in the next half inning. Shane Lake wore a pitch and Nik San Antonio took his place on the bags. The pinch runner turned on the wheels on Connor Troio's base hit to left center and reached third to make it an easy strut home when Gilbride connected for a single up the middle.  

With the Rams ahead 6-4, Tyler Zell came out of the pen and retired the side to maintain the two-run distance. 

Insurance came in the seventh for Suffolk as Brigham barreled a single to center to score Hopkins, who reached on a single of his own and collected his third stolen base of the day during the left fielder's at bat. Logan Heckmanreplaced Brigham on the bags, moved over on a back, reached third on a productive fly out and scored on a sac fly from Ben Isaak to give the Rams an 8-4 lead. 

The Chargers looked to comeback in the seventh and saw a chance as Kristian Viljanen led-off with a single and moved into scoring position on a balk. Suffolk's senior reliever showed composer from there and quickly locked up the final two outs to keep the Rams' league ledger perfect. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Batchelder improved to 3-1 on the year after a 5.0-inning performance with four runs (three earned) and five hits allowed with one strikeout. 
• Zell secured the save 2.0 frames of scoreless working, giving up just one hit. 
• Ryan Glendye dipped to 0-4 on the year after allowing six runs on 10 hits and one walk with a pair of Ks to his credit. 
• Derek Griffin gave up two runs on two hits with one punchout in 1.0 inning of relief work.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Gilbride had a day at the dish, going 3-for-4, including one double, for two runs and one RBI with one stolen base. 
• Hopkins matched Gilbride's 3-for-4 to go along with two RBI, two runs scored and three stolen bags. 
• Brigham also had a multi-hit day with a pair of hits, including one double, to bring in two runs.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Colby Sawyer met for the first time as GNAC foes. 
• The Rams eight stolen bases are the most since matching that number in a 3-1 win at Mass. Maritime April 12, 2018. 
• Hopkins matched a personal-best three stolen bases. 
• Gilbride matched a career-high three hits.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk and Colby Sawyer wrap up the doubleheader this afternoon in Eastie.