STANDISH, ME - The sixth-seeded baseball team has drawn third-seeded Keene State College (33-9) in Wednesday's opening round of the 2008 NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament at Whitehouse Field in Harwich, MA. All tournament games can be seen, free of charge, on the d3cast.com website.

 Making its third consecutive appearance in the tournament, Saint Joseph's College (28-16) plays the third of four scheduled games on the opening day of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament, which is scheduled to conclude with the championship round on Saturday (with an if-necessary game on Sunday). St. Joe's gained the automatic bid extended to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference champion in the team's first season in the league by defeating top seed Suffolk University on April 27th 6-5 in the title game at Holman Stadium in Nashua, NH.

A St. Joe's triumph in its opener against Little East Conference champion Keene State moves the Monks into a 8:00 PM winners' bracket game Thursday against either second-seeded Wheaton College (NEWMAC, 32-8) or seventh-seeded Worcester State College (MASCAC, 23-16), while a loss sends them into an elimination game Thursday at 1:00 PM against the Wheaton-Worcester State loser.

The tournament-opening game features a contest between fourth-seeded Southern Maine (LEC, 32-12) and #5 seed Western New England College (31-11) that begins at 9:30 AM on Wednesday. Top seeded Trinity College (NESCAC, 37-0) and #8 Castleton State (NAC, 22-18) meet in the second game that is slated for a 1:00 PM start and #2 Wheaton and #7 Worcester State play in the nightcap game, which begins at 8:00 PM.

The Monks are batting .328 on the season, with a .943 fielding percentage and 4.50 pitching ERA, while Keene State is batting .363 with a .956 fielding percentage and 4.78 ERA. The SJC infield has turned 37 double plays this year and the Owls have turned 47 twin-killings.

The 2008 graduating class has enjoyed considerable success as the Monks have attained a 124-50-1 (.713) record in the past four years with a 13-0 record in conference tournament play and four conference championships (three North Atlantic Conference, one GNAC).

Six SJC regulars are hitting .349 or better this season with senior shortstop Luke Enman (Milan, NH) leading the way  with a .392 average. Sophomore first baseman Ben Grant-Roy (Biddeford, ME), junior right fielder Wade Oliver, freshman outfielder Todd Keneborus (Hollis Center, ME), senior center fielder Dustin Spiller (Gorham, ME) and freshman catcher Ian Lee (Hampden, ME) round out the group of Monks hitters that are enjoying excellent seasons with the bat. Grant-Roy is batting .376, Oliver .353, Keneborus .351, Spiller .350 and Lee .349.

Enman has enjoyed a stellar career at St. Joe's and has the postseason awards to show for it. This season the senior was named the GNAC Player of the Year and received First Team All-Conference and GNAC All-Tournament Team honors. He also was honored by Saint Joseph's College with the 2008 Male Athlete of the Year Award. After an outstanding junior season, Enman was named as the North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and the NAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. He was also listed on the NAC All-Conference First Team, D3Baseball.com All-American Second Team, ECAC DIII All-New England Second Team and the NEIBA First Team.

Grant-Roy and Oliver joined Enman on the GNAC All-Conference First Team and Spiller and Lee, the GNAC Rookie of the Year, received Second Team honors.

 Sophomore left handed starter Andrew Keirstead (Westbrook, ME) is the team's top pitcher with a 6-2 record and was named the GNAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Sophomore Pat Moran (Winterport, ME), freshman Mason Roberge (Franklin, NH) and sophomore Kyle Dorr (Berwick, ME) complete the starting staff. Moran is 4-4 with a 3.38 ERA, Roberge 6-2 with a 4.07 ERA and Dorr finished the regular season with a 2-1 record and 3.06 ERA. Sophomore righty Chris Nanof (Clinton, MA) has made 11 relief appearances this year and carries a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched. Senior Steven Stout (Gloucester, MA) and freshman Chris Dion (Lawrence, MA) have proven to be the top left-handers out of the bullpen. Stout is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 11 appearances and Dion is 2-0 with a 4.18 ERA in 11 games. Senior Brian Schools (Gorham, ME) and junior Andrew Pooler (Somesville, ME), both right-handers, have provided the Monks with valuable innings and have combined to record 27 strikeouts in 29.2 innings and four saves.

After suffering a six-game losing streak to close out the month of March, including a 3-1 loss to nationally ranked Salisbury University, the Monks have recorded a 21-6 record with four of the losses being by three runs or less. Head coach Will Sanborn (16th season) reached the 400-win plateau with a 7-1 victory over Suffolk University in a GNAC quarterfinal on April 24th and is the winningest baseball coach in St. Joe's history with a career 405-245-6 (.623) record.

Saint Joseph's earned the #2 seed in the team's first trip to the New England Regionals in 2006 and prevailed over #7 Bowdoin College 9-7 in the opener before falling 11-10 in ten innings to #6 Western New England College on day two. Later that evening, the Monks were eliminated from the tourney with a 10-1 loss at the hands of #5 seed Southern Maine.

The Monks received the #7 seed last year in regional tourney and lost to #2 seed Eastern Connecticut 10-2 in their first game. Third-seeded Williams College defeated the Royal Blue 12-7 the following morning to end the team's championship bid.
 
Keene State posted its third straight 30-win season this year under head coach Ken Howe (22nd season) and won the Little East Conference title for the first time in program history, coming out of the loser's bracket to defeat Southern Maine twice on May 10th by a combined score of 35-7. The Owls earned an at-large bid last year and as the #5 seed in the New England Regional and knocked off top seed Wheaton College twice before falling to LEC rival Eastern Connecticut in the championship round.

Senior Jamie Morin (5-0, 2.67), junior Aaron Laplante (5-0, 2.77) and sophomore Ben Sonberg (3.72, 3-0) are three of Keene State's top pitchers. Senior outfielder Greg Ford also serves as the team's closer, with six saves and 20 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched this season. Morin leads the staff with 58 strikeouts in 57.1 innings while yielding 42 hits and 17 walks.

The Owls lineup features three regulars that are currently hitting .400 or higher: freshman Bobby Doyon (.411), senior Joe Rousseau (.404) and junior Jeff Perkins (.404). Sophomore Beau Darak leads the team with 13 home runs.

St. Joe's defeated Keene State 5-4 on May 1st in 10 innings. Senior Dustin Spiller hit a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the 10th off KSC closer Greg Ford to lift the Monks past the Owls.

Saint Joseph's holds a 6-3 record against Keene State in the series that dates back to 1993 and has won three consecutive meeting with the Owls.

Seedings: 1. Trinity (37-0); 2. Wheaton (32-8); 3. Keene State (33-9); 4.
Southern Maine (32-12); 5. Western New England College (31-11); 6. St. Joseph's
(Maine) 28-16; 7. Worcester State (23-16); 8. Castleton State (22-18).

First Round Games, Wednesday, May 14
Game One: Western New England vs. Southern Maine 9:30
Game Two: Castleton State vs. Trinity 1:00
Game Three: St. Joseph's vs. Keene State 4:30
Game Four: Worcester State vs. Wheaton 8:00

Second Round Games, Thursday, May 15
Game Five: Loser of Game One vs. Loser of Game Two 9:30
Game Six: Loser of Game Three vs. Loser of Game Four 1:00
Game Seven: Winner of Game One vs. Winner of Game Two 4:30
Game Eight: Winner of Game Three vs. Winner of Game Four 8:00

Third Round, Friday, May 16
Game Nine: Winner of Game Six vs. Loser of Game Seven 9:30
Game Ten: Loser of Game Eight vs. Winner of Game Five 1:00
Game 11: Winner of Game Seven vs. Winner of Game Eight 4:30
Game 12: Winner of Game Nine vs. Winner of Game Ten 8:00

Fourth Round, Saturday, May 17
Game 13: Winner of Game 12 vs. Loser of Game 11 12:00
Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 13 4:00

Sunday, May 18
Game 15: if necessary 12:00