Baseball Preps for GNAC Tourney with Tuesday Tilt at No. 7 Babson

TUESDAY, APRIL 30 // 3:30 PM  GIOVANI FIELD BABSON PARK, MASS.
LIVE STATS // VIDEO // EYES ON THE GAME  SERIES RECORD // SUFFOLK TRAILS 18-27 LAST MEETING // MAY 21, 2017, L, 9-1 LAST SUFFOLK WIN // APRIL 18, 2013, W, 20-8 STREAK // L3

BOSTON – Thanks to a first-round bye in the 2019 GNAC Tournament, the Suffolk baseball team will take its talents to regional powerhouse No. 7 Babson for a Tuesday, April 30 tournament tune-up against the Beavers. The nine-inning is outing is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. 

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LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk baseball bounced back from a game one set back to Saint Joseph's (Maine) with a 3-1 game two victory over the Monks Sunday night at Larry Maheny Diamond. The win ocked up the 2019 GNAC regular season title and the top seed in the upcoming conferene tournament for the Rams.  

MORE READING: Baseball Takes GNAC Regular Season Title with 3-1 Nightcap Win at Saint Joseph's (Maine)

RAMS REPEAT AS GNAC TOURNAMENT'S FIRST SEED
For the second straight season, Suffolk baseball sat atop the GNAC Tournament bracket as the conference announced the field for the upcoming conference championship Monday afternoon.  

MORE READING:Baseball Tops 2019 GNAC Tournament Field

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk wrapped up its regular season conference calendar with a 14-2 mark and sits 22-15-1 overall with just two regular-season games remaining on its schedule.  

As a team, the Rams are producing a .310 connection rate at the plate led by Tim Brigham's .400 average. The junior outfielder holds team and conference leading numbers in hits (56), doubles (26) and total bases (86) with his squad-best 42 runs brought in lands second in the conference ranks. The sophomore duo of Blase Cormier and Will Hopkins are consistent contributors at the dish for the blue-and-gold as well. Cormier, who bats .353, has 47 hits, 29 RBI and 31 runs scored, while Hopkins, who's hitting .362, has recorded 46 hits, scored 35 runs, brought in 23 and swiped 18 bags.  

With the Rams' GNAC title defense days away from getting underway, head coach Anthony Del Prete is likely to use reserve arms in Tuesday's tilt. Overall Suffolk's staff has combined for a 4.53 era with 211 strikeouts. 

BEAVERS BREAKDOWN
Babson, who sits seventh in latest ABCA/Rawlings and NCBWA/D3Baseball.com polls, heads into Tuesday's tangle with the Rams on a four-game win streak that put the Beavers' 29-5 on the season. 

The foursome of Edward Lehr (43 H, 32 RBI, 30 R), Jake Oliger (40 H, 39 RBI, 32 R) Eric Jaun (39 H, 34 RBI, 28 R) and Brian McHale (49 H, 11 RBI, 27 R) power Babson's offensive output.  

Pitching wise, Michael Genaro is hands down the Beavers ace with a 1.03 ERA over eight starts. In 61.0 innings, he has given up just seven earned runs off 45 hits and five walks with 45 strikeouts. William Gallagher is Babson's closer with 20.2 frames over 16 appearances. He boasts an ERA of 2.18 with 27 punchouts. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Rams renew a rivalry with Babson, meeting for the first time since the 2017 NCAA DIII Regionals where the Beavers defeated Suffolk, 9-1. 
• Suffolk trails the all-time series with Babson, 18-27. 
• Suffolk looks for its first win over Babson in the Anthony Del Prete era. 
• The Rams are in the hunt for their first win over the Beavers since a 20-8 offensive onslaught April 18, 2013. 

EYES ON THE GAME

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk awaits its opponent for the second-round of the 2019 GNAC Tournament, which will be decided tonight, Tuesday, April 30 when fourth-seeded Lasell hosts fifth-seeded Albertus Magnus in a single elimination contest at Brandeis at 7 p.m. The winner will face the top-seeded Rams Thursday, May 2 at East Boston Memorial Park at 7 p.m.