Softball Walks Off WNE in Extras in Game One, 5-4

REVERE, Mass. – Suffolk softball opened a Conference of New England (CNE) doubleheader against Western New England with a thrilling walk-off, extra-inning 5-4 win Saturday afternoon at Griswold Park. Kendal Heyman hit the winning run in on a single to left center.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | Western New England 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (19-17, 10-9 CNE) | Western New England (19-19, 11-8 CNE) 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The combination of heads up base running, a wild pitch and a pair of Golden Bears errors in the bottom of the second paid off for Suffolk. Lily Newhall laced a single to left field to get the inning underway before Catherine Carignan laid a bunt down to push her over. WNE's catcher decided to go for the leading runner in Newhall at second, luckily for the blue-and-gold, the second baseman Marley Rodriguez was off the bag, which put Rams on first and second. Claire Basaldua's sac bunt advanced both runners 90-feet. Abby Barnaby, who took Newhall's spot on the bases, capitalized on a wild pitch and slid home. An over throw by WNE's backstop Angelees Carrasquillo on the same play let Carignan cross home, which gave Suffolk a 2-0 lead. 
• The score stayed there as Cynthia Rucinski kept the Golden Bears' bats quiet. Western New England managed to make things interesting in the top of the seventh though. Evelyn Picon worked a full-count walk before Ang Carrasquillo rocked a first-pitch stand-up double to left center. Composure overcame the twirler as she sat down Katelyn Bailey with three pitches looking. Heyman gloved the next out, a long ball to center, which allowed WNE to put a run on the board and trim the margin in half. Rucinski had Shea MacDaniel in 0-2 count. MacDaniel managed to put the ball into play right to Ava Lanza at second. A bobble and misplay by Lanza allowed the tying run to come in and force the blue-and-gold to head back to the plate. 
• Suffolk was unable to capitalize on a base runner in the home of the seventh and the game headed to the extras. 
• WNE used small ball and a productive ground out to second to take its first lead of the day, 3-2.
• Back-to-back bunts in the bottom of the eighth allowed Suffolk to level the playing field, at 3-all. The score remained there despite two Rams and the game headed to the ninth. 
• History repeated itself in the ninth as WNE snuck back in front with one run. The Rams once against fought back. Roma Braid was placed on second before Basaldua knocked a long ball to center. WNE's outfielder could not make the catch, which allowed Braid to land on second and Basaldua to take third. W wild pitch scored the tying run, before Heyman's full-count heroic single push Suffolk to victory.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Rucinski recorded the win with a four-run, one-earned, five-hit, two-walk, six-strikeout over 9.0 innings. 
• Riley Kane took the loss. She gave up five runs, all unearned, on five hits with four walks with four punchouts over 8.0 frames. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Lanza was responsible for two of Suffolk's five hits. She scored one run. 
• Basaldua recorded one hit and one run. 
• Heyman had one hit, one RBI and one walk. 
• Dana Still, Carignan and Braid all produced sac bunts. 
• Barnaby, Braid and Carignan scored one run each.
• Mills brought in one run. 
• Newhall tallied one hit. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk defeated WNE for the first time since March 30, 2024. 
• The Rams are now 7-27 all-time against the Golden Bears. 
• Suffolk and WNE went into extra innings for the first time. 
• Lanza (7 games, 10 hits), Basaldua (2 games, 3 hits) and Heyman (2 games, 2 hits) extended their hit streaks.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk aims to go for the sweep over the Golden Bears this afternoon.