BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott baseball team split its non-conference doubleheader against Suffolk University on Friday evening at North Field. Endicott fell in game one, 3-2, but bounced back in game two with a resounding 16-0 victory.
GAME ONE: Suffolk, 3 Endicott 2 (7 inn.)
Kevin Sinatra (East Boston, Mass.) earned the win (4-3) on five innings of work, six hits, two runs (both earned), no walks, and a game-high three strikeouts. Rams' closer Jake Flax (Wyckoff, N.J.) also picked up his fifth save of the season with a clean seventh inning (one strikeout).
Meanwhile, Will Ferreira (Nantucket, Mass.) received the loss (5-4) via 3 1/3 innings, two hits, three runs (all earned), three free passes, and two strikeouts.
Suffolk scored all three of its runs in the fourth on an RBI single, a bases-loaded walk, and a sacrifice fly to center.
Endicott cut the deficit to one over the next two innings as Michael Casciano (Somers, Conn.) launched a solo homer to left in the fourth, and Brad Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.) singled in a run in the fifth. It wasn't enough, however, as Suffolk relievers' Rich Giandrea (Audobon, N.J.) and Flax put up zeros in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively.
GAME TWO: Endicott 16, Suffolk 0 (7 inn.)
The Gulls scored 16 runs on 12 hits – highlighted by three home runs – to come away with a split against the Rams.
Already leading 3-0 in the first inning, Ian Schmidt (Plymouth, Conn.) lifted a three-run shot over the left field fence to make it a 6-0 contest. Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.) also ripped a two-run homer to left center in the fourth (10-0) and Kyle Brennan (Wallingford, Conn.) punctuated the win with a grand slam to right center in the same inning.
Joseph Oriola (Pembroke, Mass.), who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, improved to 5-3 on the year going six innings, while only yielding two hits and two walks alongside a game-high four strikeouts. Collin Hajjar (Cheshire, Conn.) finished out the seventh on one hit, no walks, and one punchout (first career appearance).
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Endicott is 16-11 in the all-time series against Suffolk.
- DeDonato finished his career ranked No. 10 in program history in batting average (.338), No. 7 in games played (tied, 171), No. 2 in runs scored (149), No. 5 in hits (205), No. 8 in doubles (37), No. 9 in home runs (8), No. 9 in RBI (103), No. 5 in total bases (tied, 276), No. 1 in stolen bases (98), No. 4 in assists (339), and No. 4 in double plays turned (74).
- Brennan hit his second career grand slam in game two.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott sees its season come to a close at 27-17 overall. Suffolk (25-17) will play in the NCAA Tournament later this month after winning the GNAC Championship and earning the conference's automatic bid into the tournament.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)