FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

#2 Johnson & Wales 4, #1 Suffolk 2
EAST BOSTON, Mass. – Timely hitting and another strong pitching performance led the Johnson & Wales University softball team to its fourth GNAC Tournament championship in four years. The Wildcats defeated Suffolk, 4-2, on Sunday.

Records:
Suffolk: 30-9
Johnson & Wales: 31-11

Statistical Leaders:
Kristin Frost: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Katie Rufo: 2-4, 1 RBI
Jennifer Corona: 7 IP, 2 R, 8 K

Of Note:
Johnson & Wales now waits to find out who it will play in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The selection show is Monday at 1 p. on NCAA.com.

The Wildcats hopped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of first. Brenna DuPerry drew a leadoff walk, moved up to second on a sacrifice then scored on a Kristin Frost single up the middle.

Suffolk quickly got the lead in the second inning when JWU pitcher Jennifer Corona gave up a one-out double then a two-run home run. From there, however, the Rams didn't stand a chance against the three-time Tournament MVP. Corona didn't allow a hit the rest of the way with six strikeouts.

Corona was joined on the GNAC All-Tournament team by Frost, Meghan Gavin and catcher Sierra Ali.

Tiffani Semanchik was walked to load the bases in the third then Kayla McKinnon drew a free pass to score Frost with the tying run.

Senior Alex Fantasia started the fourth with a single and advanced to third thanks to a sac bunt and fielding error. Katie Rufo delivered a two-out single to score Fantasia with the eventual winning run.

Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications.

#1 Suffolk 4, #7 Emmanuel 3 (8 innings)
EAST BOSTON – Suffolk softball needed extra time to do it, but the top-seeded Rams secured a spot in the GNAC Championship as it eliminated seventh-seed Emmanuel behind a 4-3, eight-inning victory Sunday morning at East Boston Memorial Park. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Back-to-back over throws by Suffolk's defense allowed Emmanuel to get on the scoreboard first in the opening inning.   

The Rams responded in the second, however, to make it a new ball game. With two down, Ashley Zulla sent a solo shot to center field to level the playing field at 1-all.  

In the third, the team's traded runs to keep it a tied ball game. A hard-hit base knock by Devlin Frost scored Payton Sylvester, who singled, advanced on an error by the Saints' first baseman and used a sac bunt by Sydney Littlefield to reach third. For the second time on the day, the Saints capitalized on a Suffolk error to equalize the score at 2-2.  

The one-run trend continued in the home half of the fourth in favor of Emmanuel. With Audrey Esakoff on second after wearing a pitch and moving over on a sac bunt by Meaghan Price, Yuleska Ramirez-Tejea rocked a stand-up triple to right field to bring in the go-ahead run for the Saints, 4-3.  

Delaney Sylvester has been Suffolk's hero often this season and continued to take on that role as the senior catcher's 10th homer of the season locked the game at 3-all in the top of the sixth to keep things interesting.  

On the defensive side of things, the other Sylvester, Payton, kept the Saints off the scoreboard. With the go-ahead run waiting on third for the Saints and two outs on the board Sylvester faced Ramirez-Tejea at the plate. The rookie righthander showed composure and fanned Emmanuel's right fielder swinging to keep it a 3-3 game. 

Payton Sylvester continued to shove in the bottom of the seventh to keep Suffolk alive. After a deep fly out to center field, which was grabbed by Frost, the Worcester, Massachusetts, native sat down back-to-back hitters to send the game into extra times.  

After intentionally walking Delaney Sylvester, Hailey Cockroft took the Rams' spot on the bas and moved into scoring positing thanks to a 43 ground out by Zulla. With two down, McKenzie McGrath found a gap in right field and Cockroft turned on her wheels and beat the throw home to put Suffolk in front, 4-3.  

Suffolk's defense backed up Payton Sylvester in the circle, who secured the final out and the win with her 12th punchout of the day.  

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Payton Sylvester had a day allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits and one walk, while sitting down 12 hitters. 
• Megan Kieselback also stood day on the rubber with a four-run, eight-hit, four-walk, four-strikeout outing.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• McGrath was the lone Ram with multiple hits as the junior third baseman went 2-for-3 with the winning RBI to her credit. 
• Delaney Sylvester's and Zulla's one-hit efforts each were dingers with the senior and sophomore each recording one RBI and one run apiece. 
• Frost had one hit and one RBI, while Payton Sylvester tallied one hit and one run. 
• Kelly Keane went 1-for-1 at the dish.  

NOTEWORTHY

• The Rams advance to the conference championship for the second straight season. 
• Suffolk makes its sixth trip to the league's title series, three of which have come under Jaclyn Davis. 
• Suffolk played in extra innings in the GNAC playoffs for the third-time in its 17 trips. 
• For the first time in Suffolk softball history, the Rams played in two extra-inning games in the GNAC tournament. 
• The Rams remain unbeaten all-time in extra-innings in the GNAC tournament, moving to 3-0 in such contests. 
• Only four Rams have produced 10 jacks in a season in Suffolk softball history, with her tying-dinger, Delaney Sylvester became the first-ever player in blue-and-gold to knock 10 homers in two campaigns, accomplishing the feat in back-to-back seasons, 2017 and 2018. 
• Payton Sylvester had a career-high 12 strikeouts, tying the most in the Davis era, set by Sarah Chasse in a 5-2 win over Johnson State March 23, 2014.  

Courtesy of SUFFOLK Athletics Communications. 

First Round - Wednesday, May 2 (single-elimination)
Game 1: #5 Albertus Magnus 6, #8 Lasell 5 | BOX
Game 2: #7 Emmanuel 5, #6 Saint Joseph (CT) 2 | BOX

Second Round - Thursday, May 3 (double-elim begins)
Game 3: #4 Saint Joseph's Maine 7, #5 Albertus Magnus 3 (at #1 Suffolk) | BOX
Game 4: #7 Emmanuel 8, #3 Simmons 3 (at #2 JWU) | BOX
Game 5: #1 Suffolk 2, #4 Saint Joseph's Maine 1 (9 innings) | BOX
Game 6: #2 Johnson & Wales 4, #7 Emmanuel 0 | BOX

Semifinals - Saturday, May 5 (hosted by #1 Suffolk)
Game 7: #3 Simmons 4, #4 Saint Joseph's Maine 1 | BOX (SJC eliminated)
Game 8: #7 Emmanuel 9, #5 Albertus Magnus 5 | BOX (Albertus eliminated)
Game 9: #2 Johnson & Wales 6, #1 Suffolk 0 | BOX
Game 10: #7 Emmanuel 6, #3 Simmons 3 | BOX (Simmons eliminated)

Championship - Sunday, May 6 (hosted by #1 Suffolk)
Game 11: #1 Suffolk 4, #7 Emmanuel 3 (8 innings) | BOX
Game 12: #2 Johnson & Wales 4, #1 Suffolk 2 | BOX (Suffolk eliminated)

2018 GNAC Softball Championship

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement. 

– #TheGNAC –