Baseball Upends Wells, 16-5

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Suffolk baseball rolled past Wells Wednesday, 16-5, as the Rams' offense plated 16 runs on 17 hits paced by a 4-for-5 effort from Harry Painter at Crosely Field at the Ripken Experience.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 16 | Wells 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-3) | Wells (5-7) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk's bats got going in the bottom of the second as it batted around the order to grab a 6-0 cushion. Back-to-back bases loaded walks from Michael Cole and Michael James Jr. started the Rams run rally that also saw RBI from Jonny Gilbride (sac fly), Harry Painter (fielder's choice) and Joe Ward (base hit). Marc Birbiglia and Luke Harder sparked the offensive output with singles that got the inning going.

Wells started the next half inning like Suffolk with a pair of base hits. Two outs and a Rams error later, Jacobi James laced a bases clearing double to left center to trim the blue-and-gold's advantage down to four, 6-2.

The Rams wasted little time to make up those runs as they put together a two-out scoring stretch of their own in the home half of the inning. Not only did they regain their comfortable six-run cushion, but extended their edge to seven, 9-2. Cole worked his second walk of the day to keep the blue-and-gold's offense alive. James ran out a single to short to put a pair of ducks in the pond for Gilbride, who collected a RBI with a base hit to second. Wild pitches and an overthrow by Wells' starting pitcher Zander Johnson resulted in two more runs for Suffolk.

More damage was done by the blue-and-gold in the bottom of the sixth as it cycled through the order once again. This time, the Rams used five hits, including four doubles, and a pair of Express errors to extend the edge to a dozen, 14-2.

James stepped up for the Express once again at the dish in the top of the seventh with a two-run single to trim the deficit down to 10, 14-4.

The Rams continued the power of responding to Wells' offensive output in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own. Painter's solo shot over the right field fence started the frame off. Ward followed suit with a double, moved to third on Birbiglia's 43 ground out and cruised in thanks to Max Iorio's base hit up the middle to restore the 12-run distance, 16-4. 

Wells got one run back in the top of the eighth and both sides remained scoreless the rest of the way for the 16-5 final.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Garret Roberts earned the victory on the bump. In 7.0 innings he allowed four unearned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts. 
• Jack Maynard let up one run on two hits and one walk with one punchout in 1.0 inning of relief. 
• Billy Beneke shoved 1.0 inning of scoreless, hitless relief with two Ks.
• Johnson suffered the setback after giving up nine runs on seven hits and five walks with one strikeout in 3.0 frames of work. 
• Bradley Perry (3.0 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 H, 1 K), Jack Field (1.0 IP, 2 R, 4 H) and Alan Compress (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K) came out of the Express' bull pen.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Painter produced a 4-for-5 effort that featured one double and one jack for two RBI and three runs scored. 
• Ward went 3-for-6 at the dish with a pair of doubles for three RBI and two runs scored. 
• Gilbride registered two hits including one double for three RBI and one run scored. 
• Birbiglia recorded two hits, including one double, with two runs scored and one RBI. 
• Iorio put together a 2-for-3 effort with one RBI and one run scored. 
• James scored two runs, had one hit and one RBI. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Wells met for the first time. 
• Gilbride matched a personal-best three RBI. 
• Painter tied a career-high four hits. 
• Painter had his second homer of the season, 14th of his collegiate career. 
• Ward matched a career-best in hits (3) and doubles (2). 
• Iorio logged a career-high two hits and matched a personal-best in RBI (1) and runs scored (1). 
• Cole chipped in a personal-best two runs and walks with a pair of base on balls and tied a career-high one RBI.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk closes is calendar at the Ripken Experience tomorrow, Thursday, March 16 at 9:00 a.m. against Keene State.