BEVERLY, Mass. – In a matchup between two NEIBA regionally-ranked teams for the second time this season, the Suffolk Rams (28-9) jumped out early scoring four runs over the first three innings en route to defeating Endicott (21-12) 8-2 under the lights of North Field Wednesday evening.
The Gulls saw a strong long-relief appearance from junior righty Eric Nagle (Manchester, Conn.) but were countered by an even better starting performance by Suffolk junior Chuck Gibson (Malden, Mass.). Gibson (4-1) spun his third complete game of the season and allowed two earned runs on seven hits while striking out six in the Rams victory.
Nagle, in the longest outing of his career, came on in the top of the fourth with Endicott in a 4-0 hole and baffled Suffolk hitters with three strikeouts over his first two innings of work. Endicott was able to cut the Suffolk lead down to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth after back-to-back singles by senior designated hitter Anthony Serina (Portsmouth, R.I.) and junior third baseman Mike Kochiss (Fairfield, Conn.) led off the inning. The next batter, freshman first baseman Chris Seidl (Dracut, Mass.) grounded into a near 4-6-3 double-play ball but the flip to second for the initial out pulled the shortstop off the bag while Serina raced around third to score. Seidl was thrown out at first on the play. Two batters later with two outs, senior Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.) roped a single to center to score Kochiss to make it a 4-2 game.
Nagle was tagged for a homerun to deep left center off the bat of Rams first baseman Drew Carter (North Attleboro, Mass.), but the junior settled down to keep the Suffolk bats silent through the seventh and eighth innings with five groundouts and a strikeout.
In the top of the ninth, however, Suffolk added some timely insurance by loading the bases with one out after a bunt single down the third base line by Rams senior second baseman BJ Neil (Lynnfield, Mass.) with Carter and junior shortstop Sean Cameron (Milford, Conn.), who homered earlier in the game, already on base. Nagle was relieved by freshman right-hander Will Bryant (Cumberland, Maine) who surrendered a RBI groundout by leadoff man Brady Chant (Warwick, R.I.). Chant then stole second while the throw down deflected off the runner into the outfield allowing Cameron to score. Chant swiped third and later scored on an infield error.
Gibson got the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth before pinch-hitter Evan Lumpinski (Woodbridge, Conn.) singled to reach base but Gibson got the final out on a swinging third strike to secure Suffolk win.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
- This was the 20th all-time meeting between Endicott and Suffolk. The Gulls are now 12-8 all-time against Suffolk.
- This is the second loss of the season to Suffolk after previously losing 5-4 back on April 6th.
- Gulls junior lefty Luke Morse (Westford, Mass.) suffered the loss (0-1) after giving up four earned runs in his three innings of work.
- Endicott had no batter with multiple hits in the game. Seven different players recorded a base hit.
- Kochiss, whose 16-game hit streak came to an end last Sunday in game two against Salve Regina went 1-for-4 with a run scored and is hitting .387 which is third on the team.
- Endicott is now 11-8 in nine-inning contests this season.
FOR THE FOES
- Tonight's win marked Suffolk's sixth straight victory which includes doubleheader wins over Johnson & Wales (R.I.) and Anna Maria as well as a single-game win over Salve Regina.
- Senior left fielder Rob Marks (Revere, Mass.) led the Rams with three hits in five trips to the plate. He had a RBI and a run scored.
- Chant had three runs scored without recording a hit for Suffolk. He walked twice and reached on a fielder's choice, RBI groundout in the ninth.
- Carter and Cameron each had two runs scored and a solo homerun.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott now turns its attention to their final two CCC regular season doubleheaders starting with Friday's games at Eastern Nazarene. Game one starts at 2:30 p.m. in Quincy, Mass. The Gulls are in a three-way tie with Western New England and Salve Regina for the top spot in the league standings.
