Softball Flounders in Night Cap with Lasell, 13-9

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk softball had to play catch-up from the get-go, took the lead, but it let it go again, which allowed Lasell to capture game two of a non-conference doubleheader, 13-9, Tuesday night at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 9 | Lasell 13
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-2) | Lasell (2-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED
History repeated itself in the beginning of game two as Suffolk found itself trailing three runs after the opening inning.  

Similar to the opening outing, the Rams responded with a pair of runs to cut the margin down to one. Caitlin Murphy drew a base on balls and swiped second to get into scoring position for Ally Cifaratta's double to right center. Five batters later Cifaratta crossed home behind Hailey Cockroft's single to right, which made it a 3-2 games.  

Suffolk held the Lasers scoreless in the top of the second and took the lead in the home half of the inning. Extra base hits played a major factor into the flip of the switch and Cifaratta's bat was the main contributor once again. The sophomore stroked a deep double to the center field fence to bring in Bianca Luciano, who reached on a bunt single, and Murphy, who barreled a double of her own. Cifaratta's second hit for two bags gave the Rams the 4-3 edge.  

All the ground that Suffolk make up was quickly erased as the Lasers put up five runs on four hits and one costly Rams error to put the hosts in an 8-4 hole with 3.5 innings complete.  

Lasell's bats stayed hot. The Lasers added one in the fourth and a pair in the fifth to extend the margin to eight, 11-4.  

The Rams were down, but not out and that showed in the bottom of the fifth. A Laser error allowed a scoring frenzy get going for Suffolk. Rebecca Gonzalez's first collegiate hit, a single through the right side, brought in her classmate Ira Boci starting things off. From there Suffolk traded outs with RBI singles. Leah Kornguth and Cifaratta each collected RBIs on singles before Lasell made a change in the circle. Ashley Zulla kept the rally going with an RBI single of her own that scored Murphy. Cifaratta's wheels were too slow on the play and she was caught out at home to end the Rams offense in the fifth. Behind those four runs, the blue-and-gold pulled within three, 11-8.   

Once again, the Lasers responded with a pair of runs to restore a five-run distance in the middle of the sixth. 

Déjà vu that was present at the beginning came again in the bottom of the seventh when a Suffolk comeback loomed. After one Rams' run came in Zulla worked a two-dead, full-count walk to juice the bag. Belog brought the game-tying run to the plate. The third pitch she saw was sent back to the pitcher for a routine ground out to first and that sealed Suffolk's fate, 13-9.

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Constance Phelan took the loss after giving up eight runs, four earned, on six hits and a pair of walks in just 2.1 innings of action. 
• Kennedy Reyes came in for relief. She allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks in 4.2 frames of work with six of Suffolk's seven strikeouts. 
• The Lasers multiple arms in the circle as well. Nicolette Genkos picked up the decision behind an eight-run, five earned, 11-hit, three-walk, one-strikeout day in 4.2 innings. 
• Eryn Sheely tossed 2.0 innings of relief in which she allowed one run on one hit and three walks with a pair of Ks.  

STATISTISCALLY SPEAKING

• Suffolk and Lasell each produced 13 hits. 
• Cifaratta's bat was the most lethal, going 4-for-5 with five RBI to go along with one run scored. Two of the third basemen's hits were doubles. 
• Murphy registered a 2-for-2 day at the dish with three walks, three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. 
• Zulla notched a 3-for-4 day with one RBI, one walk and one swiped bag. 
• Luciano scored twice with one hit and one walk to her credit as well. 
• Kornguth chipped in one hit, one RBI and one run. 
• Boci crossed home once and drew one walk.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Cifaratta recorded the first double of her career and finished with a pair. 
• Cifaratta had personal-best in hits (4), RBI (5) and doubles (2). 
• Gonzalez had her first collegiate hit, RBI and run scored.
• Boci scored her first collegiate run. 
• Murphy tied a career-high in runs scored (3) and set a new personal-best in walks (3).
• Zulla contributed her 10th career game with three hits.  
• Luciano tallied a career-high two runs.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is set for four-game series with Framingham State this weekend. The action gets underway when the Boston Rams travel to Framingham, Friday, March 19. Game one is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.