Endicott Rocks Softball in Five in Game One, 17-4

EAST BOSTON – In a game with nine homers and one grand slam, Suffolk softball landed on the wrong side of a 17-4, five-inning decision as Endicott zoomed past the Rams in game one of a Commonwealth Coast Conference twinbill Wednesday night at East Boston Memorial Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Endicott 17
RECORDS: Suffolk (9-18, 6-7 CCC) | Endicott (23-7, 11-2 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Home runs were the name of the game from the get-go. Endicott used one to take a 3-0 in the top of the first. With one run already on the board for the Gulls, Chloe Shapleigh stung a two-run shot to left field to cushion the visitor's advantage.  

Suffolk saw its on ball go over the fence in the home half of the inning. With the bases full and two outs, Lily O'Neil sent a no doubter to left field to clear the bags and push the host in front, 4-3. The Rams put all the ducks in the pond with a lead-off triple by Caitlin Murphy followed by a walk from Ira Boci before Ava Brandow wore a pitch.  

In the second, Endicott regained a multi-run edge thanks to a pair of dingers. Chrissy Marotto rocked a one-out solo shot before Raven Comtois collected a pair of RBI on a bomb to left. She brought in Christina Nowicki, who walked, to put the Gulls in front, 6-4.  

The Gulls tacked on one run in the third before their bats really came alive in the fourth with 10 runs on 10 hits to make it a lopsided 17-4 score. 

Suffolk's offense never picked up again after the opening inning, which kept the score still after five complete frames. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Ashlyn Conley took the loss after giving up 10 runs on 10 hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 3.0 innnings. 
• Ella Turnbull twirled 2.0 innings of relief and gave up seven runs on eight hits and one walk. 
• Maria Hanchuk earned the win with a four-run, three-hit, two-walk, two-strikeout effort in 3.0 innings. 
• Analise Grady shoved 2.0 innings of scoreless relief with just two hits allowed and a pair of punchouts. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• O'Neil brought in all of Suffolk's runs on her lone hit, a grand slam. 
• Murphy went 2-for-3 with one triple and scored one run. 
• Boci and Brandow scored one run apiece. 
• Catherine Carignan and Delaney Doidge added one hit each.  

NOTEWORTHY

• O'Neil barreled her first collegiate homer. 
• O'Neil registered the first grand slam in the Janet Maguire era. 
• O'Neil's grand slam is the first for a blue-and-gold batter since Leina Belog slugged a four-run homer in a 10-4 victory at Gordon March 31, 2021. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk and Endicott wrap up the conference double feature with Endicott tonight.