Softball Takes Nightcap at Nichols, 9-1

DUDLEY, Mass. – Suffolk softball secured a sweep of its first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) double feature as it defeated Nichols, 9-1, in game two of the conference contest Saturday afternoon at Nichols' Softball Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 9 | Nichols 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (10-4, 2-0 CCC) | Nichols (3-11, 0-2 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Base hits by Caitlin Murphy and Jolia Quintana brought in one run each to help Suffolk grab a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Murphy played Ira Boci, who reached on an error, stole second and advanced to third on Bianca Luciano's single up the middle. Luciano mad her way around on Murphy's RBI single to first and Quitana's single up the middle.  

Two innings later, the Rams boosted the margin to 7-0. Quintana picked up two more RBIs with a double to center field that plated Luciano, who bunted for a base hit, and Haley Oteri, who pinch ran for Boci, who drew a base on balls. A pitching change later, Ava Brandow's base hit to short scored Quintana. Suffolk's scoring did not stop there as Lily Gustafson picked up a pair of RBI on her single through the right side that brought around Brandow and Ally Cifaratta, who reached on a single.  

Nichols notched one run in the sixth to eliminate the shutout. A Rams response came in the form of two runs in the top of the seventh that pushed the visitors cushion to eight,9-1. A pair of Bison errors allowed the first run of the frame to come in. Brandow reached on the first host mishap of the inning and came home behind Gustafson's ground out to third. 

Kennedy Reyes allowed one base runner in the home half of the inning on a hit by pitch, but she senior twirler did not allow that prolong matters as she sat Samantha Kostek down swinging for the final out of the day.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Reyes registered a one-run, three-hit, two-walk, five-strikeout complete-game victory. 
• Alyssa Ouellette slipped in the circle after giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits and one walk with three punchouts in 4.1 frames. 
• Chelsea Indyk served 2.2 innings in which she let up four runs, two earned, on four hits and three Ks.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Quintana notched a 3-for-4 effort with a double for three RBI and two runs scored. 
• Gustafson brought in three runs with one hit. 
• Luciano logged a 2-for-2 effort with two runs scored. 
• Brandow scored twice to go along with one run and one RBI. 
• Cifaratta chipped in one hit, one run and one stolen base.
• Murphy brought in one run on one hit. 
• Boci and Oteri scored one run apiece. 
• Boci and Luciano stole one base.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk swept its first CCC doubleheader of the season for the second time and second time in as many years in the year. 
• The Rams defeated Nichols in back-to-back battles for the first time. 
• Suffolk leveled the series with the Bison, 2-2.
• The blue-and-gold is unbeaten in Dudley, Massachusetts, against Nichols, 2-0. 
• Reyes moved to 3-0 on the season. 
• Luciano matched a career-high in hits (2) and runs scored (2). 
• Gustafson notched a personal-best three RBI. 
• Gustafson is tallied a hit in back-to-back games for the first time in her collegiate career.
• Brandow tied a career-high two runs scored. 
• Quintana recorded a career-high in hits (3), RBI (3) and matched a career-best two runs scored.   

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, April 3 when it takes on Gordon in a rescheduled twinbill. The Rams will host the Fighting Scots in Wenham, Massachusetts at 1 p.m.