Suffolk Snaps Lasell’s Eight Game Win Streak

Story by: Matt Cermola, Athletics Intern

BOSTON, MA- The Lasell College baseball team was swept in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader, losing 2-1 in extra innings in game one and 6-0 in game two, at the hands of the Suffolk University Rams on Wednesday night at Adam's Field in Quincy, Massachusetts.  The losses snapped an eight game winning streak for the Lasers who stand at 18-12 overall and 6-6 in conference play.

Game one would feature a great pitching matchup between Suffolk's starter Mitch Monke (Springfield, OH) and Lasell starting pitcher Josh Sullivan (Rockland, MA). While each pitcher forfeited a run in their opening inning of work, both settled down and did not allow a run for the remainder of the game.

In the opening frame, Lasell received back to back singles from Matt Mahoney (Rockland, MA) and Bobby Stachura (Middletown, CT) to start the game. With two outs and Mahoney and Stachura still stranded on base, Chris Pittman (Brockton, MA) would single to load them up. Billy Uberti (Newton, MA) then singled in Mahoney to make the score 1-0. In an inning that looked so promising, Monke would escape giving up just that one run.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Rams would retaliate by getting their first two batters on base as well on an Mark Addessa (Revere, MA) double down the right field line to open the game, followed by Jake Cintolo (Wrentham, MA) being hit by a Sullivan pitch. After Addessa was thrown out at the plate on a nice play by Uberti, Mark Annese (Winchest, MA) got a two out base hit to tie the score at 1-1.

The score would remain 1-1 all the way until the ninth. Over the next eight innings, two of which were extra innings, Monke was dominant, facing just two batters over the minimum, and allowing just one runner to reach second base.

Sullivan, however, would go pitch for pitch with Monke into the ninth, when he would be relieved by Mike Rodriguez (Brockton, MA). After recording two outs, Cintolo doubled to right centerfield off Rodriguez. After Jones was hit by a pitch, Andrew Babb (Ashton, MA) lined a single to right centerfield bringing around Cintollo to end this one in walk off fashion 2-1.

While pitching great, Sullivan took the no decision giving up just one run on eight hits over eight innings.

Monke (3-2) would get the win for the Rams, going nine innings, allowing just one earned on six hits while striking out nine.

Rodriguez (1-2) took the loss for the Lasers, going two-thirds of an inning, allowing one run on two hits.

Game two would be all Suffolk, featuring another impressive complete game performance from a Ram starter, this time from reigning Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) pitcher of the week Alex Torres (Framingham, MA).

In the bottom of the first the Rams would jump on Lasell starting pitcher Matt Pitts (Pittsfield, MA), scoring three runs on RBI hits from Babb, Annese, and Michael Muse (Milton, MA) to make the score 3-0.

The Rams would go on to tack on a single run in each the third, fourth, and sixth innings.

Despite 3-for-4 days from Sullivan and Conor Cavanagh (Quincy, MA) in the three and four spots in the laser lineup, Lasell would be unable to form any comeback as Torres would allow just two hits to the rest of the lineup.

Pitts (0-1) would take the loss for the Lasers, allowing five runs, four earned, on ten hits.

Pittman, who came in relief of Pitts in the fifth, went one and a third innings, allowing one unearned run on just one hit.

Torres (5-3) was the star in this one, picking the win for the Rams while completing his second straight complete game shutout in conference. He did not allow a single run on eight hits while striking out six.

Lasell will face non-conference opponent UMass Boston on Thursday night on Stein Diamond at Brandeis University, at 7:00 p.m.