Baseball Escapes Elimination, Holds Off Wentworth, 3-1

BRISTOL, R.I. – The third seed Suffolk baseball team stayed alive in the 2024 Commonwealth Coast Conference tournament as it took down sixth seed Wentworth, 3-1, behind a complete-game from Harry Painter Thursday afternoon at Paolino Field on the campus of Roger Williams.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Wentworth 1
RECORDS: SUFFOLK (26-16) | Wentworth (21-19) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
A two-run single by Max Martin in the second stanza gave the blue-and-gold a 2-0 lead. The catcher brought in Alex Sorenti-Burns and Max Iorio, who both singled, to start the scoring. 

Wentworth made things interesting in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back base hits put runners on and a sac moved them over. Michael Petit had a productive ground out to short that allowed Christian Peruzzi to put the Leopards on the board and trim the Rams lead in half, 2-1.  

One insurance run for the Rams came in the bottom of the ninth. Painter helped himself as he barreled a double to deep left center and worked his way to third on a wild pitch. Suffolk's junior scored thanks to Iorio's sac fly to left to pad the margin to two, 3-1.  

The Leopards put the tying run on first and second after back-to-back walks started the top of the ninth. After a mound visit Matt Robinson laid down a bunt to push the runners 90 feet. Painter fanned pinch hitter John Golebeiski in three pitches to put the second out on the board and Cole Hilliard gloved a line out by Christian Peruzzi to lock up the win.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Painter picked up the win behind a one-run, six-hit, three-walk, 10-strikeout, complete-game performance. 
• Nigel Cross took the loss after giving up two runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 6.0 innings. 
• Brandon Farinas (1.0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) and Alec Peruzzi (1.0 IP, 1 BB) both came out of the pen and tossed 1.0 inning each for the Leopards.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Sorenti-Burns went 2-for-3 at the plate with one run, one walk and one stolen base. 
• Max Martin brought in two runs on one hit. 
• Painter pitched in one hit, a double, and one run. 
• Iorio added one hit, one RBI, one run, one sac fly and one walk. 
• Garret Roberts had one hit, a double. 
• Cole Hilliard notched one hit and one walk.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk is in the middle of its fourth trip and fourth in as many seasons to the CCC Tournament. 
• The Rams are competing as the third seed in the CCC Tournament for the first time. 
• Suffolk is now 4-7 in the CCC Tournament, 2-1 this season. 
• The Rams captured their first win away from home in the CCC Tournament. 
• Suffolk remains unbeaten against Wentworth in the CCC postseason, 2-0. 
• The Rams are unbeaten, 3-0, in the postseason against WIT. 
• Suffolk moved to 21-4 all-time versus Wentworth. 
• The Rams won their fifth straight game against the Leopards.
• The blue-and-gold is 7-1 versus Wentworth in the Anthony Del Prete era. 
• The foes met at a neutral site for the third time. 
• Suffolk is undefeated, 3-0, when facing WIT on a neutral diamond. 
• Painter threw a complete-game for the first time in his career. 
• Painter is the first Suffolk pitcher to throw a nine-inning complete-game since George Breslin May 6, 2023 versus Curry. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk will face the winner of the fifth seed Western New England, fourth seed Nichols elimination contest, which is underway in Beverly, Massachusetts.