Softball Shutouts Norwich, 4-0, in GNAC Second Round

STANDISH, Maine – The third-seeded Suffolk softball team blanked the sixth-seeded Cadets of Norwich, 4-0, at Richard Bailey Field, Thursday afternoon to advance to the winner's bracket of the GNAC Tournament. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4, Norwich 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (26-15) | Norwich (15-20-1) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
A true pitcher's duel was present for the first 2.5 innings before Suffolk put a pair of runs on the board. A walk by Sydney Littlefield was sandwiched around two Rams striking out. Jaclyn Flint kept the inning alive with a single to left and walk by Jill Pulek loaded the bags. Delaney Sylvester brought Littlefield and Flint in with a single to left to give Suffolk a 2-0 cushion after three innings. 

The Rams stretched their advantage to four in the fourth thanks to a two RBI single from Flint that scored pinch runner Natalie McAllister and Littlefield, who doubled. 

Suffolk maintained its advantage from there, letting the Cadets put just one base runner on over the remaining three innings to hold on for the 4-0 win. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Suffolk's five hits were scattered across four bats with Flint owning two with a 2-for-4 effort for two RBI and one run scored.
• Sylvester collected two RBI on one hit with Littlefield scoring twice and McAllister adding one run.

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Ali Yamakaitis earned the complete-game shutout in the circle as the junior tossed a three-hit, no-run, four-walk, five-strikeout day.
• For Norwich, Rachel Johnson suffered the setback as the Cadet let up five runs on five hits and five walks with four Ks to her credit. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk advanced to the winner's column in the conference championship for the first time since 2014.
• The Rams won their second straight versus the Cadets.

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk, who moved into the winners bracket, will take on second-seed St. Joseph's (Maine) at 5 p.m.