BEVERLY, Mass. – The Suffolk baseball team extended its winning streak to six , a season best, with an 8-2 victory over Endicott Wednesday night at North Field.
Suffolk (28-9) never trailed and finished its two-game season sweep of Endicott (21-12). The Rams led 3-0 after three innings, on the power of extra-bases hits; a triple from Rob Marks and a home run from Sean Cameron, before the bottom of the fourth when the Gulls fought back with two runs on three hits. A homer from Drew Carter made it a 6-2 game in the sixth, before Suffolk scored three in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach for Endicott.
Chuck Gibson (4-1) finished off the Gulls to pick up his fourth win of the year. The junior went the distance for the third time this season, allowing two runs on seven hits and struck out six.
All Suffolk needed to get on the board was six of Luke Morse's pitches. With Brady Chant on first thanks to a lead-off walk, Marks saw a strike for the first pitch and swung at the second, sending a shot to right center. The senior's first triple of the season brought in one run to quickly to put the Rams' on the scoreboard. Jon Lapolla's grounder to second brought in Marks as the visitors lead quickly went to 2-0.
Endicott started the bottom of the inning with a single, but a double player and a fly out later Suffolk maintained it advantage. The Rams' would not stay at two runs for long, however, as Cameron knocked a ball over the left field fence with two outs to push the score to 3-0. The home run was the first of the junior shortstop's collegiate career.
Suffolk's fourth run of the night came in the fourth. For the second time in the game Chant drew a walk to get the inning going and Marks pushed him over with a single up the middle. A sacrifice bunt from Seth Coiley moved Chant and Marks to third and second, respectively, before Lapolla picked up his second RBI ground out of the day as Chant came in to make it a 4-0 Suffolk game.
Endicott's two runs would come in the bottom half of the inning, but Suffolk did not let the hosts get any closer. After a scoreless fifth, Carter homered to left, his third home run of the season, and Gibson retired the Gulls in the next three innings in order to keep things at 5-2 in the blue-and-gold's favor.
The Rams put the game out of reach in the ninth as three runs scored. BJ Neil loaded the bases with a bunt and one out. Will Bryant would come in on the bump for Eric Nagle, who relieved Morse in the fourth, but the new arm was no match for the Rams. A fielder's choice plated Carter, who was hit by Nagle's pitch to lead off, and Cameron, who singled, came in as the Gulls' were distracted by Chant's steal of second. The sophomore center fielder, who also stole third for his 19th snipe of the season, would cross home for the third time on an error and move the score to 8-2.
Looking to rally, the Gulls started the ninth with two ground outs before Evan Lumpins came in. The pinch hitter singled, but Gibson punched out Matthew Paol, his sixth K of the day, to seal the Rams' 28th victory of the season.
Marks extended his hit streak to 11 with a 3-for-5 performance and a run scored with Cameron adding two hits and scored twice. Lapolla brought in two runs, while Chant, Marks, Carter and Cameron each drove in a run.
Suffolk tagged Morse started Morse for four runs in 3.0 innings, handing him his first loss of the season.
The Rams will cap off non-conference action tomorrow afternoon at UMass Dartmouth. Suffolk and the Corsairs are set for a 3:30 p.m first pitch.