Baseball Falls in Game 1 to Nichols, 2-1

EAST BOSTON – A Rams error in the top of the ninth allowed Nichols to break a tied game and score the eventual game-winner to hand Suffolk baseball a 2-1 Conference of New England (CNE) loss in the opener of a twinbill Sunday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Nichols 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-13, 1-3 CNE) | Nichols (10-10, 2-4 CNE)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bison broke onto the board in the top of the fourth. Ryan Keating led off the frame with a single to center, scooted over to a second when Karl Miller put down a bunt and coasted to third behind Liam Flynn's base hit to right. Adam Pivacek brought the runner around on a single to center of his own to give Nichols a 1-0 edge.  

Suffolk had a chance to level the playing field in the home half of the inning. Max Martin barreled a base hit to left to and capitalized on an over throw by the Bison's left fielder Keating to get to second. Chris Cimino placed a bunt perfectly down the third base line to push Martin to third. After a loud out to right, Max Iorio faced a full count with the tying run on third. The senior sat down swinging though to keep a zero on the blue-and-gold's side of the board. 

A Rams response came in the bottom of the sixth. Colin Flynn hit a single to left and swiped second. Cimino connected for a single up the middle that brough in Flynn to lock things at 1-all. 

Suffolk stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the eighth to send the game into the ninth tied at 1-1.

Pivacek produced a one-out single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Julian Galvan managed to place a base hit in left, but an error on the play the Rams' outfielder Alex Sorenti-Burns let the go-ahead run come in to put the Rams in a 2-1 hole.  

Down one, an error by Nichols' second baseman Anthony Hackert let Iorio reach safely to get the bottom of the ninth underway. The Rams went down in order from there though to seal the setback for Suffolk.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Pierce Salbego took the loss as he gave up two runs, one earned, on 10 hits and no walks with six strikeouts in 9.0 innings. 
• Tyler Monz-Witten earned the decision thanks to 2.1 innings of scoreless relief with one hit and one walk allowed and one K. 
• John Steed started and put together a one-run, five-hit, seven-strikeout effort over 6.2 frames.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Cimino brought in Suffolk's lone run of the afternoon on one hit and put down a sac. 
• Max Martin and Iorio both went 2-for-4 with the latter knocking one double. 
• Flynn scored one run, had one hit and stole one base. 
• Cole Hilliard worked one base on balls.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk looks to bounce back in the nightcap against the Bison.