Softball Rallies Past UNE in Nightcap, 4-3

BIDDEFORD, Maine – In a three-run whole as the game transitioned into the fourth, Suffolk softball scored four unanswered including the winning run in the top of the seventh, to take down the University of New England (UNE) in game two of a Conference of New England (CNE) twin bill Saturday afternoon at Nor'Easter Diamond.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | University of New 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-11, 3-3 CNE) | University of New England (6-8, 2-4 CNE)  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Two hits and one walk helped the University of New England take a 2-0 lead in the first. 
• That distance grew to three in the bottom of the second. Emma Koenig knocked a one-out triple to right and scored behind Hannah Lappin's single up the middle. 
• Suffolk got on the board in the top of the fourth as Dana Still's double down the left field line brought in two runs. The freshman plated Julia Mills and Claire Basaldua, who reached on a single and fielder's choice, respectively. 
• Still doubled for the second time on the afternoon to ignite a two-out Rams comeback rally in the sixth. After the freshman's hit, Lily Newhall walked and a wild pitch moved the runners over, which forced UNE to make a change in the circle as Bridget Divoll came in. Kendal Heyman reached base on balls to fille the bases before a wild pitch let the tying run in Still score. 
• Suffolk snuck in front for the first time in the seventh. Ava Lanza laced a one-out triple to left center and slid under a tag when Julia Mills bunted the ball into play to give the blue-and-gold a 4-3 edge. 
• The Nor'Easters made things interesting with a pair of base runners in the home half of the seventh on a hit by pitch and single. Composure came for Cynthia Rucinski down the stretch as she sat Tess Bolduc down looking and had help from her backstop who gloved Adrianna Carsetti's pop up in foul territory to lock up the winning decision. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Rucinski recorded the win with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief with three hits and two runs allowed to go along with three strikeouts. 
• Newhall started in the circle and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with two punchouts over 3.0 innings. 
• Bridget Divoll took the loss as she gave up one run on one hit and one walk in 1.1 frames of relief for the Nor'Easters. 
• Lizzie Brytowski compiled a three-hit, three-run, six-walk, two-strikeout performance over 5.2 innings. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Still went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two RBI, one run scored and one sac. 
• Lanza provided one hit, a triple, two walks and one run scored. 
• Mills brought in one run on one hit and scored one run. 
• Basaldua logged one run and one walk.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk is now 9-8 all-time against the University of New England. 
• The Rams moved 6-3 on the road versus the Nor'Easters. 
• In CNE contests, the blue-and-gold is now 6-7 against UNE. 
• Still stretched her hit streak to seven games. Over that span she has nine hits. 
• Still matched a career-high in hits (2) and RBI (2) and set a personal-best two doubles.
• Lanza knocked the first triple of her Suffolk career.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Rams are scheduled to entertain Gordon Saturday, April 11 at East Boston Memorial Park. Game one is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m.