Box Score AUBURNDALE, Fla.—Gordon Baseball scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete a comeback against No. 24 Suffolk, 8-5, on Wednesday evening. Sophomore starter Derek Hudson (Hudson, N.H.) went eight innings strong and didn't allow a hit after the fifth inning to earn his first win of the season.
 
The Fighting Scots (3-3) got onto the scoreboard quickly with the top of the order coming through as they have the entire trip to this point. Alec Willey (San Diego, Calif.) walked then stole second before ending up at third on a Dean Demers (Sandy Hook, Conn.) single. Chris Leavitt (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) was able to get Willey home on a sacrifice fly to give Gordon the 1-0 lead.
 
Suffolk took the momentum right back with a two-out rally in the top of the second frame. The Rams strung together four singles in the inning to score two runs, but left more on the table when Hudson got a fly out to end the rally with the bases still loaded.
 
The Rams held Gordon scoreless in the bottom half and extended their advantage to three runs in the top of the third. Luke Ronchi (Randolph, N.J.) led off the inning with a single before getting hit to third on a double to the gap for Seth Coiley (Arlington, Mass.). Again, Hudson nearly got out the inning unscathed, but a red-hot Kevin Higgins (No. Attleboro, Mass.) came up with the clutch two-RBI single to make it a 4-1 game.
 
The game remained that way until the bottom of the fourth when Gordon erupted for four runs to take its second narrow lead of the game. Demers was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Leavitt. Just one batter later, rookie Matt Lucas (Temecula, Calif.) hit his first collegiate bomb to tie the game at four. The Fighting Scots weren't done there though, as Christian Hodge (Waltham, Mass.) singled to keep the rally alive before scoring on a double just inside the left-field chalk for first-year John Lagerfeldt (Stratford, Conn.).
 
After Suffolk knotted the contest back up at five in the fifth, hits came at a premium against two pitchers who settled into the flow of the game. Hudson retired 10 consecutive Rams between the fifth and eighth to set up the theatrics for the Scots.
 
Suffolk was able to get the streaking Demers out to start the bottom of the eight, but walked Leavitt and allowed a single to Lucas with one out. Hodge then hit a ball back to the pitcher, but the Rams couldn't make the play at first and allowed Leavitt to score from third. Addison Tarr (Oxnard, Calif.) made them pay for the mistake with a bunt single to score another before Lagerfeldt drove in his second run of the game with a ball back up the middle.
 
Morgan Hyde (Thomson, Ga.) earned his first career save, but the Rams made it interesting. Suffolk put two on base on a HBP and a single, but Hyde was able to get the next two batters out. A catcher's interference play put the tying run on first base with two outs, but Hyde was able to put a pitch past Higgins to end the game.
Seven Scots recorded a hit on the day with Lucas, Tarr and Lagerfeldt leading the way with two each. The Fighting Scots only left four runners on base compared to 11 for the Rams and hit nearly .600 with runners in scoring position.
 
Hudson K'd nine Rams on the day, a career high for him.
 
The win was Gordon's first over a nationally ranked opponent in recent program history.
 
Gordon has its final doubleheader of break schedule on Thursday. The Scots will take on Bowdoin with first pitch at 2 p.m.