Baseball Splits Non-Conference Finale at Brandeis

WALTHAM, Mass. – Suffolk baseball wrapped up its 2022 non-conference calendar in a doubleheader at Brandeis Sunday. The Rams fell in game one, 10-5, and defeated the Judges, 8-7, in the nightcap at Stein Diamond.  

THE BASICS
GAME 1 SCORE: Suffolk 5 | Brandeis 10 
GAME 2 SCORE: Suffolk 8 | Brandeis 7
RECORDS: Suffolk (10-18) | Brandeis (18-15)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk trailed 6-1 in the opener with four frames in the books. The Rams used back-to-back doubles from Joe Wardand Harry Painter in the fifth to cut the margin down to three, 6-3.  

All the ground the blue-and-gold made up in the top of the inning was erased in the bottom as the Judges matched the two-run offensive output in the home half to keep restore the five-run advantage.  

The visitors attempted a comeback in the sixth when Shane Lake's single down the left field line plated Blase Cormier, who reached on a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Once again Brandeis responded to Suffolk's scoring with some of its own in the bottom of the inning. This time the Judges one-upped the Rams run with two of their own to make it 10-4 as the game headed to the seventh.  

With six runs to make up, Suffolk found itself with two dead quickly as Marc Birbiglia grounded into a double play after Harry Painter led off with a single to right. Luke Harder kept the inning and comeback hope alive as he singled to second and scored behind Cormier's base hit to left. After Corey Frassica walked, Jonny Gilbride flew out to left to end the outing, 10-5.  

Painter punched a two-run single in the first to help Suffolk go up early, 2-1.  

Brandeis sliced the Rams' lead in half in the bottom of the first before it rattled off two runs in the next three consecutive innings to put the blue-and-gold in a 7-3 hole.  

Suffolk put together back-to-back two-run innings in the fifth and sixth, respectively, to level the playing field at 7-all.  

The pitching of Shreyas Parikh held the Judges scoreless to keep things even, which set-up Suffolk's winning chances in the seventh. With two outs Cormier capitalized on an error by the Judges shortstop to land on second. Dylan January traded places with him thanks to double to center field. The freshman's one-run two-bagger pushed the visitors ahead, 8-7.  

Brandeis managed to get the tying run on second in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out walk followed by a wild pitch. Steven Rossi calmed down on the hill after that and got the next two outs to secure the game two victory, 8-7, and twinbill split.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Casey Sullivan slipped to 1-2 on the year after giving up six runs on hit hits in 4.0 innings in game one. The southpaw sat down two batters. 
• Michael Muscarella came out of the pen for 2.0 innings of relief in which he let up four runs, two earned, on four hits and one walk with three punchouts. 
• Brandon Musto won game one for Brandeis with a three-run, nine-hit, one-walk, three-strikeout effort in 5.0 innings. 
• Jakob Newman tossed 2.0 innings of relief in game one for the Judges. He compiled a two-run, five-hit, two-walk outing. 
• Suffolk cycled through seven different arms, all going 1.0 inning, in the nightcap. 
• Parikh earned the decision with 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless relief effort. He had one K and gave up one walk. 
• Rossi registered the save behind 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless work.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Painter had a day at the dish. He went 5-for-7 with four RBI and three runs scored. He hit two homers in game two and barreled a double in the opener. 
•  Ward contributed three hits, two in game one, with a double in each outing. He brought in two runs and scored two himself. 
• Harder had four hits on the day, three in the nightcap. The outfielder scored twice and stole on base. 
• Cormier chipped in three hits, one RBI and three runs scored.
• Ben Isaak registered a 2-for-4 plate performance with one run scored in the win. 
• January went 2-for-4 in the nightcap. He brought in the game-winning run on a double.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk now has 35 home runs the most since the 2005 squad sent 45 balls over the fence. 
• Painter is the third Ram to hit two homers in a game this season, first since Garret Roberts did so in an 11-6 win over Lasell April 20. 
• Painter now has 12 dingers of the season the most by a Ram since Tamayo Manzanillo knocked 13 bombs in 2005. 
• Birbiglia (six games) and Cormier (seven games) extended their multi-game hist streak.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk concludes the regular-season in a CCC clash with Wentworth Saturday, May 7 at East Boston Memorial Park at 3 p.m.