MYRTLE BEACH – Suffolk baseball started strong, but could not hold off Mt. Aloysius as the Mounties made a comeback late to take an 11-6 decision over the Rams in their Ripken Experience finale Friday at Eppets Field. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 6 | Mt. Aloysius 11
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-4) | Mt. Aloysius (7-4)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk led 4-0 after the first two innings. An error by Mt. Aloysius' second baseman let the first run of the day come in in the top of the first before three Rams crossed the plate in the second. Harry Painter started things off with a solo shot to left. Marc Birbiglia wore a pitch to reach first and one out later was pushed to third on Steven Shamnoski's double down the right field line. Birbiglia scored behind Garret Roberts' single to center, while Shamnoski strutted in on Luke Harder's fielder's choice.  

The Mounties made up ground in the home half of the third to trim the edge to one, 4-3. 

A Rams response came when Michael James Jr. jacked the ball over the left field fence and scored Birbiglia, who led off the inning with a single, in the process. The two-run dinger regained a three-run, 6-3, cushion for Suffolk.  

Mt. Aloysius made up that ground in the bottom of the inning to make it a new ball game at 6-all.  

A scoreless fifth was followed by a zero Suffolk's offense went quiet, while the Mounties heated up. They put up a pair in the sixth and seventh, respectively, to take 10-6 lead.  

The Rams went down in order in the eighth, while Mt. Aloysius added another in its turn at the plate to push things even further, 11-6.  

Suffolk's comeback chances were put to rest in the ninth as the side was retired for the five-run setback. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Steven Rossi took the loss after allowing seven runs, five earned, on eight hits and three walks with three Ks over 5.1 innings. 
• Pierce Salbego gave up three runs on six hits in 1.2 frames of work. 
• Shreyas Parikh shoved 1.0 inning out of the pen and let up one run on two hits with one strikeout. 
• Chris Hasse wrapped up the win with 3.2 innings of scoreless work with just one hit and one walk allowed to go along with five punchouts. 
• Creek Miller started for the Mounties and put together a six-run, 10-hit, one-walk, three-strikeout stat line over 5.1 innings.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Painter provided two hits, including one bomb, for one RBI and one run scored. 
• Roberts went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one stolen base.
• James' lone plate appearance ended in a two-run jack.
• Birbiglia tallied two runs scored and one hit. 
• Shamnoski supplied one hit, a double, and scored one run.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Mt. Aloysius met for the second in in program history. 
• Both battles between the Rams and Mounties occurred in Myrtle Beach this season. 
• Suffolk sits 1-1 versus Mt. Aloysius. 
• Painter knocked his third homer of the season and matched a career-high two hits.
• James hit the second home run of his career, first since March 21, 2021 versus Lasell. 
• James matched a personal-best two RBI for the second straight game. 
• Roberts matched a career-high two hits.

POST-GAME PIC
 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk heads back to New England where it will have a four-game week waiting. First up is a home battle with Boston Commons neighbor Emerson. The Lions pay East Boston Memorial Park a visit Tuesday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m.