Softball Bests Brandeis, 4-1

WALTHAM, Mass. – A three-run fourth inning and shutdown relief throwing by Cynthia Rucinski sent Suffolk softball to a 4-1 victory over Brandeis Wednesday afternoon at Marcus Field.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Brandeis 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-7) | Brandeis (9-5) 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• A lead-off base hit by Jolie Quintana helped Suffolk grab a 1-0 early lead. The fifth-year singled to right, advanced to wild second on a wild pitch and worked her way in on productive ground outs. Catherine Carignan collected an RBI that gave the blue-and-gold the early advantage. 
• Brandeis responded in the home half of the inning. Erin Hunt singled to get the Judges' offense going and swiped second and third to set up Taryn Rainey's RBI ground out to first to level the playing field at 1-all. 
• Lily Newhall helped herself with a lead-off solo shot in the top of the fourth pushed the blue-and-gold to a 2-1 cushion. Suffolk's scoring did not stop there as Claire Basaldua and Roma Braid barreled back-to-back singles and moved 60 feet on a wild pitch. Dana Still's single up the middle scored both Basaldua and Braid to pad the margin to 4-1. 
• Rucinski came in out of the pen and twirled back-to-back three-up, three-down frames. The Judges had one last chance to make up some ground in the bottom of the seven and Dylan Yamarua singled to lead off the inning. A fielder's choice when Maddie Manes put the ball into play got the lead runner, but an error by Suffolk's right fielder Kendal Heyman allowed Katie Baydian to reach safely and put runners in the corners. Luckily for the blue-and-gold stand-up defense played out the rest of the way as Rucinski gloved a pop up in the circle and the corners combined for a ground out to third for the final out of the frame and contest to preserve the victory. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Lily Newhall started and let up one run on five hits with two punchouts over 4.0 innings en route to the win. 
• Rucinski finished with a one-hit, three-strikeout performance over 3.0 innings of relief to secure the save.
• Madeline Jennings took the loss as she allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and a pair of puncouts over 3.1 frames. 
• Jamie Staub twirled 3.2 innings of relief and allowed two hits and sat down two. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Quintana went 3-for-4 to be the only Suffolk bat with multiple hits. The hits went along with one run. 
• Still brought in two RBI on one hit and had one stolen base. 
• Newhall had one hit, a homer, one RBI and one run. 
• Basaldua registered one hit and one run. 
• Ava Lanza and Julia Mills logged one hit each. 
• Roma Braid recorded on one sac and one run. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk snapped a 12-game skid against Brandeis 
• The Rams defeated the Judges for the first time since April 7, 2009. 
• It is the first non-extra inning victory over Brandeis since April 9, 2007. 
• Suffolk met Brandeis for the first time under Megan Cook's guidance. 
• Newhall hit her second homer of the second. 
• Quintana (10 games, 17 hits), Mills (3 games, 4 hits), Newhall (3 games, 5 hits) and Still (2 games, 2 hits) all extended their hit streaks. 
• Quintana matched a career-high three hits.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk aims to sweep Brandeis as it completes the twin bill with the Judges tonight.