STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's (23-10, 9-3 GNAC) received outstanding pitching performances and played sound defense to earn a pair of 4-0 victories over conference rival Albertus Magnus (8-25, 4-8 GNAC) at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Sunday afternoon.
SJC starters Sam Murray '12 (Walpole, MA) and Kevin Chamberlain '11 (Scarborough, ME) and reliever Mason Roberge '11 (Franklin, NH) combined to yield seven hits, all singles, and no walks with 11 strikeouts in 14 innings for the Monks. The trio managed to induce six 1-2-3 innings while the Falcons failed to advance to third base in the two conference contests.
Murray (3-1) set the bar in the opener, as the sophomore southpaw allowed three hits and fanned four in a complete-game shutout performance. Chamberlain (2-1) worked five innings in the nightcap with five K's and two hits allowed and Roberge earned his second career save, and first of the 2010 campaign, with two innings of two-hit ball and a pair of strikeouts.
The twinbill blanking is just the third in the history of Saint Joseph's Baseball. The Monks last hurled a pair of shutouts against the same opponent on the same day on March 31st, 2006 against University of Maine-Presque Isle. Miles Johnson '08, Andy Pooler '09, Chris Leger '09 and David Doucette '08 combined to record the pair of shutouts against the Owls.
Right fielder Todd Keneborus '11 (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus) continued his torrid pace with another solid effort at the plate, as the junior slugger went 5-6 with three runs, three RBI, a double and a triple in the two-game set. Shortstop Chris Campbell '11 (Rochester, NH) was 3-6 with three runs for the Monks, who registered 16 hits in the twinbill.
The St. Joe's defense also proved to be stellar despite the wet conditions. The Monks made one inconsequential error in both games and turned a pair of double plays in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
After two scoreless turns, St. Joe's tallied three runs in the bottom of the third off Albertus Magnus starter Charles Chancio '11 (Oxford, CT). Center fielder Nate Martin '13 (Chebeague Island, ME) singled to lead off the third and Campbell followed with a walk to set up Keneborus, who followed with a sharply-hit single to right to send Martin home and Campbell to third. Keneborus then stole second and advanced to third on an error by AMC first baseman Matthew Finkenzeller '13 (Wolcott, CT), while Campbell scrambled across the plate as a result of the miscue. Keneborus scored to make it a 3-0 game on a double play ball hit by Ian Lee '11 (Hampden, ME).
Keneborus singled in the bottom of the fifth and scored when second baseman Mike Burdin '10 (Gardiner, ME) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, capping the game scoring with the Monks in control, 4-0.
For Murray, the complete-game shutout was his second of the 2010 season. In six starts and 36.2 innings, Murray has a team-best 2.21 ERA with 22 K's and just one walk allowed. He is the only SJC pitcher to have logged a complete game this spring, and has four such performances for the Royal Blue this year.
Chancio was hit with the loss for the Falcons, as the lefty allowed three earned runs and nine hits with four K's and four walks in six innings.
GAME TWO
Saint Joseph's pushed a run across in the bottom of the first in the nightcap to provide the Monks' pitching staff with all the support they would require. With one out, Campbell reached with a bunt single and scored when the next batter, Keneborus, doubled to right-center.
The Monks added two more in the third, as Keneborus tripled home Campbell and scored on a Ben Grant-Roy '10 (Biddeford, ME) sac fly to right field. The game's final run was logged in the bottom of the sixth on a safety squeeze play, as Burdin scored easily on a bunt by third baseman Nick Saunders '13 (Brooksville, ME) to put the hosts ahead by four runs.
AMC starter Cullen Burnell '12 (Litchfield, CT) allowed four runs off seven hits and three walks in six innings and suffered the loss for the visitors.
St. Joe's will host University of Southern Maine on Wednesday at 4:00 PM, while Albertus Magnus is set to host Suffolk University in a GNAC doubleheader on Tuesday at 4:00 PM.
