Suffolk, Lasell Prevail in GNAC Baseball Tourney First Round, Advance to Double-Elimination Bracket

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BRACKET

Third-seeded Suffolk University came from behind to down sixth-seeded Albertus Magnus College, 10-5, and fourth-seeded Lasell College got a tremendous pitching performance from Greg Sherman to blank fifth-seeded Rivier University, 1-0, on Tuesday night in the first round of the 2015 GNAC Baseball Tournament.

With the win, both programs advanced into the double-elimination portion of the bracket, which features single games at each of the top two seeds on Thursday, followed by Saturday and Sunday's action at Holman Stadium in Nashua, N.H.

Suffolk will travel to second-seeded Johnson & Wales University Thursday (6:00 p.m.), while top-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine welcomes Lasell at 4:00 p.m. Neither game serves as an elimination game.

#3 SUFFOLK 10, #6 ALBERTUS 5
QUINCY, Mass. - Suffolk put together a 13-hit offensive attack to defeat the Albertus Magnus on Tuesday evening at Adams Field in Quincy. 

Sophomore Chuck Gibson (Malden, Mass.) allowed one earned run over six innings before giving way to freshman Worth Walrod (Dedham, Mass.) as the number three seed Suffolk advances to this weekend's four team double elimination tournament.

Albertus opened the scoring in the visitor's half of the first inning when sophomore Tyler Graziano (Trumbull, Conn.) drew a hit by pitch with one out. Senior Anthony Pellegrino (Branford, Conn.) would then knock in the game's first run as he double in the right center gap to give the Falcons the early lead.

In the second inning junior Steven Lockman (Wallingford, Conn.) would come around to score from second as an errant throw on an infield bunt went down the right field line to make it 2-0.

Suffolk would answer in the home half of the second as sophomore Luke Ronchi (Randolph, N.J.) doubled to left with one out in the inning. Junior Drew Carter (Newburyport, Mass.) would then triple to center to plate the first run of the game. An infield error would bring Carter home as sophomore BJ Neil (Lynnfield, Mass.) sprinted down the line to beat the throw and even then game.

In the fifth, Suffolk would score five times to jump out to a 7-2 lead. Junior Julien Plana (Miami, Fla.) would double to left center before a walk to junior Jon Lapolla (Providence, R.I.) would begin the threat. Ronchi would hit his second double of the ball game into the left center gap bringing Plana around to score for the lead. After a sacrifice fly by junior Rob Marks (Revere, Mass.) would bring in another run, Carter would deliver his second RBI of the ball game with a base hit to right. Senior Adam Johnson (Georgetown, Mass.) would later double home another run before Neil capped the inning off with a bloop hit to center.

Suffolk would tack on three more in the seventh as freshman Brady Chant (Warwick, R.I.) drove in a pair of runs with a two out single to right before freshman pinch hitter Greg Speliotis (Salem, Mass.) doubled to right scoring Chant. 

Chant, Plana, Ronchi, and Carter all recorded multi-hit efforts on the evening for Suffolk.

Pellegrino was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI in the setback for the Falcons.

Senior Arber Mehmedi (Naugatuck, Conn.) also had a two hit effort including a double in the sixth.

Albertus would tack on three runs in the ninth  as Pellegrino singled home a run, while senior Ted Gravel (Morris, Conn.) also added an RBI single. Gravel collected two RBI on the evening for the Falcons. 

Gibson scattered six hits through six innings of work while striking out four to improve to a 2-4 record on the season.

Walrod recorded his first career save as he went the final three allowing the three runs in the ninth. He struck out four while allowing three runs on three hits.

#4 LASELL 1, #5 RIVIER 0
WATERTOWN, Mass. - Lasell senior pitcher Greg Sherman (Marshfield, Mass.) improved to 5-1 on Tuesday against the Raiders, as he scattered two hits, walked one batter and struck out two over seven shutout innings on the mound.

Classmate Ryan Bowen, pictured, (Hudson, Mass.) pitched the final two innings to register his first save of the spring, not allowing a single run to come across in the tight 1-0 victory. Bowen struck out two batters - both coming in the bottom of the eighth - escaping a bases-loaded jam to preserve the shutout for the Lasers. 

Senior thrower Alex Mears (Sandown, N.H.) shouldered the loss for the Raiders  despite allowing just one run on two hits. He had four walks along with seven strikeouts. 

After both teams went down 1-2-3 in the first inning, Lasell got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when junior Tyler Flaherty (Portland, Maine) singled up the middle which allowed junior Wes Hurty (Windsor, Conn.) to come around and score the games' only run.  

Sherman retired the contest's 14 of 15 batters for the Lasers in an impressive pitching performance. FreshmanTy Seaton (Pawtucket, R.I.) was the lone Raider to record a hit off off Sherman - once on a single to left in the top of the third and once on a single up the middle. Both times, Seaton was left on base, as the game remained at the 1-0 score.

Bowen took the mound for Sherman in the top of the eighth to pitch the final innings of the game. After a shaky start allowing a bases loaded situation, Bowen tossed back-to-back strikeouts, catching the Raiders on the swing. The Raiders went down 1-2-3 in their last chance at bat, giving the Lasers the 1-0 victory. 

Game recaps courtesy of Suffolk & Lasell Athletics Communications.

First Round - Tuesday, April 21 (single elimination)
Game 1: #3 Suffolk 10, #6 Albertus Magnus 5 | BOX
Game 2: #4 Lasell 1, #5 Rivier 0 | BOX

Second Round - Thursday, April 23 (double elimination begins)
Game 3: #4 Lasell at #1 Saint Joseph's Maine - 4:00 p.m.
Game 4: #3 Suffolk at #2 Johnson & Wales - 6:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, April 25 (at Holman Stadium, Nashua, N.H.)
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser (elimination game) - 10:00 a.m.
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner - 1:30 p.m.
Game 7: Game 6 loser vs Game 5 winner (elimination game) - 5:00 p.m. 

Championship - Sunday, April 26 (at Holman Stadium, Nashua, N.H.)
Game 8: Game 7 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 12:00 p.m.
Game 9: if necessary - 3:30 p.m.

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