Baseball Trumps Wentworth in Seven, 12-2

BOSTON – Suffolk baseball jumped out to an early lead and never looked back to run-rule Wentworth, 12-2, in seven innings in game one of a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 12 | Wentworth 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (16-13, 5-5 CCC) | Wentworth (20-10, 3-5 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk started out strong with a three-run first frame. Harry Painter knocked a double to left center before Alex Sorenti-Burns sent a no-doubter to left center to put the first pair of runs on the board. A ground-rule double down the right field line off Max Iorio's bat kept the rally going. Iorio advanced to third on a long-out by Sam Armbruster and scored on Max Martin's single through the left side.  

The Rams one-upped their offensive output in their second trip to the plate. Colin Flynn started things off with a single to left, stole second and coasted in on Garret Roberts' base hit to right. With one out, Painter barreled his second double of the day down the left field line. Sorenti-Burns followed suit with a two-bagger of his own to left center, which cleared the bags. Armbruster brought Sorenti-Bruns in with a double of his own to the same spot to make it 7-0 Suffolk with two innings in the books. 

Jonny Gilbride's first hit of the day plated Jack Mihalchik to extend the edge to 8-0. Mihalchik led off the inning with a bunt for a base hit and moved over to second on a passed ball.  

Wentworth eliminated the shutout with one run in the top of the fourth. The Leopards used three base hits to get on the board and trim Suffolk's advantage to 8-1. 

WIT cut the deficit down to six in the sixth. With Leopards on first and third after back-to-back base hits, the visitors went for the double steal. Max Martin managed to make the throw to get the out at second, but A.T. DiPina crossed home plate it 8-2.  

The Rams lengthened its lead to nine in the home half of the sixth. A throwing error by the Leopards' third baseman Matt Robinson allowed Painter to take first. Sorenti-Burns' single through the right side pushed Painter to third and Iorio's single to short let Painter come home. The bases filled up and two outs went on the board, Mihalchik kept the inning going however, as the freshman sent the ball to center field. His two-run double cushioned Suffolk's advantage to 11-2.  

Roberts retired the side in the top of the seventh to keep it a nine-run margin.  

Wentworth made a change on the mound as Brady Aubuchon came in to shove. The reliever got the first out quickly, but he was no match for Gilbride as Suffolk's shortstop sent a jack to left to send Suffolk to the mercy-rule decision.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Roberts logged the win behind a two-run, six-hit, two-walk, four-strikeout complete-game effort. 
• Matt Ferrar suffered the setback after giving up seven runs, all earned, on nine hits with three strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work. 
• Michael Archambault put together a four-run (one-earned), seven-hit, one-walk, one-strikeout effort in 4.0 frames of relief. 
• Aubuchon allowed one run on one hit, a homer, in his 0.1 frame of relief.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Sorenti-Burns was a triple shy of the cycle as the third baseman went 3-for-4 four a single, double and bomb to finfish with four RBI and two runs scored. 
• Armburster also went 3-for-4 with one double. He brought in one run and scored one himself. 
• Painter produced a 2-for-4 performance. Both of his hits were doubles. He scored three times.
• Gilbride brought in two runs on two hits, including one home run, and scored once. 
• Iorio added two hits, including one double, two runs and one RBI. 
• Mihalchik logged a 2-for-4 effort with one double, two RBI and one run scored. 
• Max Martin (1 H, 1 RBI), Roberts (1 H, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB) and Flynn (1 H, 1 R, 1 SB) factored into Suffolk's offense as well.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk defeated Wentworth in back-to-back meetings. 
• The Rams are now 18-14 all-time against Wentworth. 
• The blue-and-gold is 4-1 versus the Leopards under Anthony Del Prete's leadership. 
• As the home team, Suffolk is 10-2 against WIT. 
• The Rams are unbeaten, 3-0, in Eastie versus the Leopards. 
• In CCC contests, Suffolk sports a 4-1 record against Wentworth. 
• Sorenti-Burns slugged his sixth homer of the season. He had a personal-best three hits and tied a career-high in RBI (4). 
• Painter has produced multiple hits in five straight games. In that span he has 14 hits, six for extra bases including four doubles and two triples. 
• Gilbride stretched his hit streak to 12 games. In that span he has 21 hits including six doubles, and three homers. 
• Armbruster knocked a career-high three hits. 
• Mihalchik tied a personal-best two hits and had the first extra-base of his collegiate career.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk concludes its double feature with WIT this afternoon.