Softball Starts CCC Championship Quest Thursday

BOSTON – The fourth-seeded Suffolk softball team kicks off the 2022 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament Thursday, May 5 against fifth-seeded Wentworth.  The Rams and Leopards, who will meet at the Softball Complex on the campus of Endicott at 12:15 p.m., are a part of Bracket A that also features top-seed Gulls and eighth-seed Roger Williams. 

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CCC TOURNAMENT
Thursday, May 5
Bracket A – Hosted by No. 1 Endicott at Softball Complex, Beverly, Mass.
GAME 1A - #8 Roger Williams at #1 Endicott – 10 a.m. – Video – Live Stats
GAME 2A - #5 Wentworth vs. #4 Suffolk – 12:15 p.m.  – Video – Live Stats
GAME 3A – Winner of GAME 1A vs. Winner of GAME 2A, 30 minutes after GAME 2A
GAME 4A – Loser of GAME 1A vs. Loser of GAME 2A, 30 minutes after GAME 3A

Bracket B – Hosted by No. 2 Western New England at Golden Bear Park, Springfield, Mass.
GAME 1B - #7 Nichols at #2 Western New England – 10 a.m. – Video – Live Stats
GAME 2B - #6 Salve Regina vs. #3 University of New England – 12:15 p.m. – Video – Live Stats
GAME 3B – Winner of GAME 1B vs. Winner of GAME 2B, 30 minutes after GAME 2B
GAME 4B – Loser of GAME 1B vs. Loser of GAME 2B, 30 minutes after GAME 3B 

Friday, May 6
Bracket A - Hosted by No. 1 Endicott at Softball Complex, Beverly, Mass.
GAME 5A – Loser of GAME 3A vs. Winner of GAME 4A
GAME 6A – Winner of GAME 3A vs. Winner of GAME 5A 

Bracket B - Hosted by No. 2 Western New England at Golden Bear Park, Springfield, Mass.
GAME 5B – Loser of GAME 3B vs. Winner of GAME 4B
GAME 6B – Winner of GAME 3B vs. Winner of GAME 5B 

If Necessary Games (Date & Location TBD)
GAME 7A – GAME 6A Teams, if necessary
GAME 7B – GAME 6B Teams, if necessary 

Saturday, May 7 – CCC Championship Round – hosted by higher seed
GAME 8 – Winner of Bracket A vs. Winner of Bracket B
GAME 9 – If necessary, 30 minutes after GAME 8  

Sunday, May 8 – CCC Championship Round – hosted by higher seed
GAME 10 – if necessary 

SUFFOLK IN THE CCC TOURNAMENT
Suffolk will make its debut in the CCC Tournament after missing the pod postseason a year ago, the Rams first year in the league.  

SUFFOLK IN CONFERENCE POSTSEASON ACTION
The Rams will make their 21st trip to the postseason, first since 2019. Suffolk owns one conference crown to its credit the inaugural Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title in 1996. The blue-and-gold has never hoisted a league banner when an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tourney has been on the line.  

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk ended the regular-season on a five-game skid to sit 20-18 overall.  

Ava Brandow and Jolie Quintana have been the most productive at the plate for the blue-and-gold. The rookie pair is responsible for bring in 31.8 percent of the Rams 157 runs. Brandow has registered 28 RBI on 38 hits behind a .342/.365/.568 slash line with 14 runs scored. Quintana boasts a team-best 40 hits with a .367 connection rate at the dish and has brought in 22 runs and scored 21 herself. 

Jenny Jacob has proven to be Suffolk's ace in the circle. The junior has assembled a 1.44 ERA in her 18 appearances, 12 starts. In 92.2 innings, she has tossed 10 complete games and holds a 9-3 record with two saves and 118 strikeouts to her credit. Kennedy Reyes (3.09 ERA, 45.1 IP, 33 K) is a go-to on the rubber for the Rams with Alexa White (3.10 ERA, 29.1 IP, 22 K) and Brandow (5.76 ERA, 34.0 IP, 26 K) pitching options as well. 

LEOPARDS LOOK
Wentworth played its way into the CCC postseason for the first time since 2005 after a 21-15 regular-season with a 9-9 league ledger, good for the fifth spot in the eight-team field.  

Five Leopards earned All-CCC and have been instrumental to WIT's winningest season in its program's history. Kaitlin Pettenger and Alexandra Pina, both first-team outfielders, were crucial cogs in the wheel of success. Pettenger led the offense with 48 hits, 35 RBI, 34 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Pina, meanwhile, has contributed 43 hits, 19 RBI, 30 runs scored and five swiped pages. Briana Beverly, the Leopards backstop, picked up a spot on the second team after racking up 48 hits, 29 RBI and 30 runs behind a .393 average.  

Erin Hancock, a third-team all-league honoree, has held down Wentworth's pitching staff. In 24 appearances, 18 starts, Hancock has built a 2.57 ERA in 109.0 innings with 98 punchouts. Hancock headlines a staff that holds a 2.94 ERA. Katie Kranz (9.0 IP, 2.33 ERA, 7 K), Jess Rowe (2.77 ERA, 30.1 IP, 24 K) and Kayla DeMedeiros (3.56 ERA, 82.2 IP, 30 K) compliment Hancock in the circle. 

WE MEET AGAIN
Suffolk swept the regular-season double feature with Wentworth earlier this season. The Rams blanked the Leopards in game one, 2-0, before scoring late to capture the night cap, 4-1. 

MORE READING: Softball Secures Pitcher's Duel 2-0 Win Over Wentworth in Game 1 | Late Scoring Sends Softball Past Wentworth in Game 2, 4-1

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, Wentworth series started in 1988. 
• The Rams lead the all-time series, 16-4. 
• Suffolk swept Wentworth in the regular-season twinbill earlier this season.
• As the home team, Suffolk is 12-3 versus Wentworth. 
• When playing as the away team, the Rams are 4-1 versus the Leopards. 
• The foes will play on a neutral surface for the first time. 

EYES ON THE GAME
 

GET TO KNOW THE GULLS
Endicott (25-11, 15-3 CCC) earned the number one seed in the 2022 CCC Tournament.  

Raven Comtois owns the biggest bat with 46 hits and 29 RBI behind a .395/.434/.675 slash line. Katie Watts (43 H, 18 RBI, 27 R), Lauren Misiazek (39 H, 22 RBI, 26 R) and Chrissy Marotto (35 H, 20 RBI 23 R) are consistent contributors to the offense as well.  

Maria Hanchuk, the 2022 CCC Pitcher of the Year, holds a 1.14 ERA over 104.2 innings with 141 strikeouts. Jaylin Couto compliments Hanchuck in the circle with a 1.71 ERA and 104 punchouts in 102.1 innings of action.  

WE MEET AGAIN
Suffolk and Endicott split the non-conference twinbill earlier this season. The Rams snuck past the Gulls, 6-5, in the opener, before Endicott blanked the blue-and-gold, 8-0, in five frames in the closer. 

MORE READING: Softball Hangs On for Game 1 at Endicott, 6-5 | Endicott Keeps Softball Quiet in Game 2, 8-0 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Rams are 6-11 all-time against the Gulls. 
• The blue-and-gold split the regular-season series with Endicott. Suffolk won game one, 6-5, and lost the nightcap, 8-0, in five innings. 
• Five of the Six Rams' victories have come when playing the Gulls on the road, 5-10.
• Five of the 17 battles between Suffolk and Endicott have been determined via shutout. The Rams are 2-3 in such outings.  

EYES ON THE GAME
 

HAVE TO KNOW 'BOUT THE HAWKS
Roger Williams won three of its last four CCC outings in the regular-season to sneak into the postseason with a 7-11 league ledger and 10-28 overall record.  

Isabelle Rosado, CCC Co-Player of the Year, has anchored the Hawks offensively. The third baseman, who hits second in the line-up is batting .435 with 47 hits, 12 RBI and 18 runs scored. She is perfect on the base path stealing all seven bases she attempted. Sydney Provencal provides at the plate as well with 48 hits, 17 RBI and 24 runs scored. Taylor Howell rounds out the top three threats at the dish with 30 hits, a team-best 19 RBI and seven runs scored.  

In the circle Lia Nocella leads the way with a 3.30 ERA in 22 appearances, 18 starts, with 54 strikeouts. Taylor Myers (4.23 ERA, 49.2 IP, 17 K) and Nicole Corey (4.94 ERA, 28.1 IP, 13 K) are options on the rubber as well.  

WE MEET AGAIN
Suffolk softball slipped to Roger Williams in both outings of a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader by identical 3-2 margins to wrap up the 2022 regular-season Sunday afternoon. 

MORE READING: Roger Williams Sweeps Softball in Regular-Season Finale

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Rams lead the all-time series with Roger Williams, 7-2. 
• Last season, Suffolk went 2-2 against the Hawks in the home-and-home series. 
• Suffolk is 4-1 when competing as the home team versus RWU, 2-1 as the true away team and 1-0 on neutral diamond. 
• The Rams shutout RWU for the first time in the all-time series in game one on April 24, 2021 9-0 in five innings. 
• The first mercy-rule decision in the series came April 24, 2021 when Suffolk shutout Roger Williams 9-0 in five games. 

EYES ON THE GAME

RAMS RECOGNITION
Jolie Quintana of the Suffolk softball team was named the 2022 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Rookie of the Year, the league office announced. In addition to her major award, Quintana was named to the conference's second-team along with Jenny Jacob.  

MORE READING: Quintana CCC Rookie of the Year, Softball Picks Up Two All-CCC