Quincy, Mass. –Endicott jumped out to an early lead and then were aided by their bullpen in a 9-7 victory on Tuesday evening over the Suffolk University Rams in non-conference baseball action at Adams Field.
Freshman Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.) was 3-for-5 with four RBI to pace a 14-hit attack for the Gulls, who move to a 19-10 overall record on the season, but needed to hold off a Suffolk comeback after jumping out to a 7-1 lead.
Endicott right fielder Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.) finished the day 3-for-6 with a run scored as five players in the Endicott lineup recorded multiple hits in the game. Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.), Colin Sitarz (W. Hartford, Conn.), and Paola each scored twice.
Endicott plated three runs in the second inning, as Sitarz led the inning off with a double and came around to score on a single to right by Paola. Freshman Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.) would drive in a pair of runs later in the inning with a two out single to left off freshman reliever TJ Fearon (Colchester, Conn.) to make it a 3-1 Gulls lead.
The Gulls would stake themselves to a 7-1 lead in the third, with Paolo once again connecting on a base hit, this time driving in a pair of runs before he come around to score later in the inning on a balk.
Suffolk had gotten on the board with a run in the first, as junior Mac Jacobson (Norfolk, Mass.) led the bottom half of the first inning off with a single to left field. After stealing second base, Jacobson would come around to score on a bloop single to right field off the bat of senior Mike Cunningham (Syosset, N.Y.).
Freshman Jon Lapolla (Providence, R.I.) would draw a bases loaded walk in the sixth, and sophomore Justin Knight (Great Meadows, N.J.) knocked in two runs with a single to make it a 7-6 game after six innings of play. Suffolk squandered a golden opportunity as they loaded the bases with one out in the inning but freshman reliever Mike Walkowicz (Amherst, Mass.) would work out of the jam preserving the Gulls' lead.
Endicott would answer Suffolk with a run in the top of the seventh inning to put themselves back up by a pair of runs when Ressel drove in junior catcher EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with a single. Martinez doubled earlier in the inning to right center after a single by senior Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.). Lemke was thrown out at the plate on the relay for the inning's first out.
Both teams traded runs in their next at bats. Suffolk sophomore Adam Johnson (Georgetown, Mass.) singled in sophomore JC Collette (Amesbury, Mass.) who doubled to left center with one out in the seventh.
Paola capped off his big game for the Gulls with an insurance run in the eighth as his third single of the contest plated Holmgren.
Senior Kevin Dupras (Belchertown, Mass.) worked a perfect ninth, striking out a pair for his fourth save of the season.
Endicott senior starter Mike Nich (Orange, Conn.) improves to 3-1 on the hill for the Gulls as he went 5 1/3 innings pitched allowing six runs on seven hits.
The loss drops Suffolk to a 21-6 mark on the year as they now extend a season-high losing streak of three games.
Endicott will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon as they travel to the University of Southern Maine for a 3:30pm non-conference matchup.
Suffolk will be back on the diamond on Thursday as they travel to Babson College at 3:30pm to take on the Beavers.
