Beantown Battle Pits Baseball Against Emerson Tuesday

SUFFOLK vs. EMERSON
Date Time Venue Video Stats Program Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Tuesday, March 22 3:30 PM East Boston Memorial Park East Boston, Mass. Suffolk Playsight GoSuffolkRams.com Digital Program 25-1 March 30, 2013, W, 4-2 Same W19

BOSTON – Back from its Spring Training trip, Suffolk baseball opens a four-game week Tuesday, March 22 when its Boston Commons neighbor Emerson visits East Boston Memorial Park. First pitch of the Beantown battle is scheduled for 3 p.m.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
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LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk baseball started strong, but could not hold off Mt. Aloysius as the Mounties made a comeback late to take an 11-6 decision over the Rams in their Ripken Experience finale Friday at Eppets Field.  

MORE READING: Mt. Aloysius Rallies Past Baseball in Rematch, 11-6

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk went 5-4 at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to sit 6-4 on the year.

As a team, the Rams are hitting .320 anchored by Harry Painter's .433 average. The freshman is third on the squad in hits with 13 behind Luke Harder and Christian Seariac, who have knocked 15 and 14 hits, respectively. Both Harder and Seariac have recorded a hit in all, but one of Suffolk's 10 games this season. Harder heads into Tuesday's tilt batting .405, while Seariac holds a .368 average at the plate. Joe Ward and Jonny Gilbride are threats at the dish as well. Ward has brought in a team-high 12 runs on 11 hits behind a .306 average. Gilbride, meanwhile, has scored a dozen runs to go along with 11 hits and nine RBI.

Suffolk's staff has had a sluggish start with a combined 8.25 ERA. George Breslin has proven to be the most successful starter with a 3.60 ERA over 5.0 innings with three strikeouts. Shawn Nosky is reliable on the rubber as well with a 3-0 record in 9.2 frames of work with 14 punchouts and a 4.66 ERA. Garret Roberts has been the Rams go-to closer. He has picked up a save in each of his three appearances with five strikeouts and 0.00 ERA to his credit.

LIONS LOOK
Emerson enters Tuesday with a 6-5 record after it split a doubleheader at Elms March 18. The Lions slipped in game one, 10-8, before bouncing back in the nightcap, 10-5. 

Thai Morgan holds Emerson's leading bat as the junior, who hits .436, has a team-best numbers in hits (17) with seven extra-base knocks for 14 RBI. Morgan has proven to be a threat on the base paths as well with six stolen bases and 15 runs scored. Lou Davolio, who is also batting .436, matches Morgan's 17 hits to go along with identical RBI and runs scored with nine apiece. Quinton Copeland rounds out the top three Lions batters with 15 hits, including six doubles, as well as a team-best in RBI (15), runs scored (17) behind a .385 average. 

Pitching wise, starters Ty Bourne (9.2 IP, 13.97 ERA), Chris Lowe (13.0 IP, 6.23 ERA) and Johnny Maffie (18.2 IP, 2.89 ERA) are likely out of the rotation due to seeing action on Sunday. Benny Guevara (8.0 IP, 11.25 ERA) may earn the nod or the Lions may call upon a new arm to get the game going. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Emerson renew a rivalry Tuesday, meeting for the first time since March 30, 2013.
• From 2000 through 2013, the Rams and Lions tangled 26 times.
• Suffolk is 25-1 all-time against Emerson.
• The Rams have won 19 games in a row versus the Lions including the last meeting, March 30, 2013, via a 4-2 decision.
• As the home team Suffolk is 11-1 against Emerson and is unbeaten, 14-0, on the road versus the Lions.
• There have been eight shutouts in the all-time series.
• Suffolk owns every decision in which a team has been kept off the scoreboard.
• The last time the Rams blanked the Lions was the opener of a twinbill March 30, 2013, 14-0.

EYES ON THE GAME

COMING UP
Suffolk begins a five-game road swing Thursday, March 24 at Johnson & Wales. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.