Colonels Sweep Suffolk in Pair of CNE Games
East Boston, MA - The Curry College baseball team earned a pair of road victories over Suffolk on Saturday afternoon in CNE action at East Boston Memorial Field.
Game #1:
Curry (6-9, 4-2 CNE) struck first in the opening inning when Brandon Mantilla-Mercado launched a solo home run to left field, giving the Colonels an early 1-0 lead. Suffolk (2-18, 1-5 CNE) responded in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a Curry error to even the score at 1-1.
The game remained tight until the fifth inning when Curry regained the lead. Nick Krise singled to spark the offense, and Taylor Diaz came around to score on a Suffolk throwing error, making it 2-1.
The Colonels created separation in the eighth inning thanks to Mantilla-Mercado once again. The senior delivered his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left that plated Danny Leyva and extended the lead to 4-1.
On the mound, Henry Marino delivered a strong performance, tossing 7.0 innings while allowing just two hits and one unearned run. The right-hander struck out five to earn his second win of the season. Ryan Bohrman closed the door over the final two innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two to secure the save.
Offensively, Curry totaled 10 hits on the day, with Mantilla-Mercado leading the way with his two homers and three RBIs. Michael Frausto and Nick Krise each added two hits, while Jorge Rodriguez contributed a double.
Despite committing five errors, Curry's pitching staff limited Suffolk to just three hits and no earned runs in the contest.
Game #2:
The Colonels used timely hitting and aggressive baserunning to build an early advantage. The Colonels got on the board in the second inning before plating two more runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Suffolk answered with a run in the second but was otherwise kept in check through the middle innings.
Curry added to its lead in the sixth inning, capitalizing on control issues from the Suffolk bullpen to push across two runs, before tacking on another in the seventh to make it 6-2.
Yadiel Santos led the offensive effort with a standout performance, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Michael Frausto added two hits and an RBI, while Jorge Rodriguez chipped in with a double and a run batted in. Brandon Mantilla-Mercado also scored twice and drew a pair of walks, creating opportunities at the top of the lineup.
On the mound, Lucas daCosta delivered a strong start, allowing just one run on four hits over 6.0 innings while striking out three to earn his second win of the season. Reegan Thomas followed with two solid innings out of the bullpen, surrendering just one run while striking out two.
Suffolk made things interesting in the ninth inning, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to one, but Curry was able to hold on to secure the 6-5 win.
The Colonels totaled eight hits and drew seven walks in the contest, while also swiping multiple bases to keep pressure on the Suffolk defense throughout the game.
With the win, Curry improves to 4-2 in conference play and carries momentum forward as CNE action continues.
