Seventh Inning Comeback Sends Softball Past Wisconsin Platteville

TUCSON – The Suffolk softball team secured a Tucson Invitational Day 2 sweep Sunday night as the Rams erased a one-run deficit in the seventh and tacked on two more to secure an 8-6 win over Wisconsin Platteville.    

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 8, Wisconsin Platteville 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-1) | Wisconsin Platteville (1-6) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Wisconsin Platteville held a 4-0 advantage after the first two complete innings, before Suffolk's comeback started with a three-run third.   

With one out, Morgan Parmeter's single sent Sydney Littlefield, who reached on a Pioneers error and took second on an ensuing error by the home team's second baseman, to scoring position on third. Devlin Forst brought Littlefield in on a single, before Jill Pulek's double to center scored Parmeter and Frost to trim the margin to one. 

In the next inning, the score locked up at 4-all thanks to a RBI from Littlefield. The junior outfielder's fielder choice plated the tying run in Evelyn Marquis, who led off with a double. 

Platteville regained its advantage in the bottom of the fifth, putting a two-run distance between the Rams, to set up the blue-and-gold's thrilling comeback. 

Delaney Sylvester got the momentum going for the Rams in the top of the sixth with the junior catcher's single scoring Frost. The true heroics came in the final inning though. Lindsay Pagano started things off with a single before Ashley Zulla took her place on the bags. Pinch hitter junior Madison Eucalitto drew a walk before fellow pinch hitter and classmate Elissa Mogauro put a single into play, scoring Zulla in the process and it was a one-run game. Marquis replaced Maguro on base before McKenzie McGrath's first double of the season came at just the right time, scoring the tying and go-ahead run in Eucalitto and Marquis, respectively. 

With their backs against the wall, the Pioneers looks to make a comeback of their own, but behind Jaclyn Flint in the circle and solid defensive play Suffolk secured the 8-6 win.   

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Ten Rams accounted for Suffolk's 16 hits with Frost and Pulek each going 3-for-5 with the former recordin gone RBI and the latter picking up two RBI. Frost added two runs to her stat line.
• McGrath and Pagano each had two hit days. Pagano went 2-for-3 with one walk, while McGrath put together a 2-for-4 showing at the plate with two RBI.
• Littlefield, Parmeter, Zulla and Eucalitto each scored for the Rams with Littlefield, Parmeter, Sylvester, Parsons, Marquis and Mogauro all notching one hit apiece.
• Mogauro, Littlefield and Sylvester rounded out Rams with RBI, contributing one each. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Taylor Holmes opened the contest in the circle. The junior worked 1.1 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and striking out two. 
• Flint came in for 5.2 innings of relief with the sophomore allowing just two runs on six hits with three strikeouts in the winning effort. 
• Jess Butzen gave up eight runs on 16 hits and struck out two Rams in the complete-game effort for the Pioneers. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk's 16 hits are the most since rocking 17 in a 13-6 win at Lasell April 10, 2016.
• With the defeat, Suffolk adds Wisconsin Platteville to its all-time unbeaten opponents.
• McGrath matched her career high in RBI with two thanks to her go-ahead double. 

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT
Suffolk takes a day off before returning back to the diamond at the Tucson Invitational Tuesday, March 14 where it will take on Wisconsin La Crosse and Puget Sound.