Chasse, Softball Advance In ECAC Tournament

The Suffolk University Softball team defeated Becker College 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship quarterfinal round.

The fourth-seeded Rams used a two run sixth inning to overcome a one run deficit to defeat the fifth seeded Hawks in the six team single elimination tournament.

Freshman Allison Loftus (Oak Park, Ill.)hit a two run go ahead double with one out in the sixth to put Suffolk up for good as they now advance to Saturday's semifinal round against top-seed Brandeis University.

Senior Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) hurled a complete game, striking out eight hitters over seven innings of work while allowing no earned runs on six hits. The win moves Chasse to a 10-5 mark on the season.

Freshman Devlin Frost (Tewksbury, Mass.) scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning as Suffolk opened the scoring on either side. Junior Meredith Ball (Nahant, Mass.) opened the inning with a base hit before being retired on a fielder's choice off the bat of Frost.  Frost would later advance into scoring position on a passed ball and come around to plate the first run of the game on an infield error.

Becker would answer however in their following at bat scoring both of their runs in the top half of the fourth.  Senior Megan Bolduc (Dover, N.H.) would double home the tying run of the game as freshman Samantha Lee (Prospect, Conn.) came around to score as she led off the inning reaching on an error. Bolduc would later come around to score in the inning on a throwing error.

Freshman Madison Eucalitto (Old Saybrook, Conn.) would walk with one out in the sixth inning to get the rally started for Suffolk. Following an infield error, freshman Morgan Parmeter (Maynard, Mass.) would draw a walk to load the bases. Loftus would then double to right center bringing the two runs home giving Suffolk the one run advantage heading into the final inning.

Chasse would retire the side in order 1-2-3 to close out the game as she put down the final six hitters she faced in the game in order.

Ball was 2-for-4 on the afternoon as Suffolk only mustered three hits in the victory. Loftus' double accounted for the only other Suffolk hit.

Third-seed Albertus Magnus was victorious over sixth seed Newbury College 7-4 in the other quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday afternoon as both Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) representatives in the six team tournament were winners.

Albertus will take on second seed University of Southern Maine on Saturday in the other semifinal round.

The victory moves Suffolk to a 25-14 overall record on the season.

They will now travel to Brandeis University on Saturday with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship game.