STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's (26-10, 11-3 GNAC) swept a GNAC doubleheader against Norwich University (7-26, 5-9 GNAC) with 10-6 and 11-2 victories at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Saturday afternoon. The Monks notched 36 hits in the two-game set; with seniors Ben Grant-Roy (Biddeford, ME) and Travis Adams (Saco, ME) combining for 13 base-knocks in the sweep.
Grant-Roy went 7-8 with four runs, three RBI and a double and Adams was 6-7 with a run scored, four RBI and a pair of two-baggers against the Cadets. Ian Lee '11 (Hampden, ME) joined the hit parade with a 4-8 effort and drove home six runs with a double and a triple and Todd Keneborus '11 (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus) was 3-6 with three runs and two RBI for Saint Joseph's.
Keneborus, the NCAA DIII three-base hit leader, added to his SJC single-season triples record with his 13th three-bagger of the 2010 campaign. His triple in the third inning of the opener was his 19th in less than three seasons and breaks the career mark formerly held by Luke Enman '08, who belted 18 triples in four seasons for the Royal Blue.
Although the Monks provided plenty of excitement with the bats in the twinbill, the pitching efforts posted by several SJC hurlers should not be overlooked. St. Joe's, in preparation for the upcoming GNAC playoffs, trotted eight different pitchers to the hill in the doubleheader.
Kyle Dorr '10 (Berwick, ME), returning from an injury, tossed three effective innings in the first game, with five hits and two runs allowed, before yielding to reliever Chris Nanof '10 (Clinton, MA), who was brilliant with five K's and one hit allowed in three scoreless frames en route to earning his second victory of the year. Eric Fallon '13 (Walpole, MA) made his NCAA debut in the opener and Adam Stanclift '13 (Chesterfield, NH) retired the only Norwich batter he faced in the seventh frame.
Game two starter Sam Murray '12 (Walpole, MA) was solid again for the Monks and earned the winning decision after working four scoreless innings. Murray, now 5-1 on the year, allowed just three hits and fanned a pair with no walks before giving way to Chris Dion '11 (Lawrence, MA), who allowed a run and a hit in an inning of relief. Jimmy Kennedy '13 (York, ME) allowed two hits and a run in the sixth and Tyler Laverriere '13 (Biddeford, ME) tossed a perfect seventh and fanned one Cadets batter to close out the game.
For Norwich, game one starter Austin Shaw '11 (Yarmouth, ME) took the losing decision after surrendering 12 hits and six earned runs in 3.1 innings. Ryan Kelly '11 (Niskayuna, NY) allowed six hits and two runs in 2.2 innings of mop-up duty for the visitors.
Brad Hudson '13 (Eugene, OR), who started the nightcap for the Cadets, allowed seven runs off 11 SJC hits in three innings and falls to 2-3 on the season with the losing decision. Don Dibastiani '12 (White Hall, MD) yielded three runs off seven hits in three frames of relief for Norwich.
GAME ONE
With the game tied, 1-1, after two and half innings, Saint Joseph's proceeded to score five runs in the bottom of the third to gain a lead the Monks would not relinquish. With one out, Keneborus tripled to deep right-center and scored when the following batter, Grant-Roy, rapped a single to left. Pat Moran '10 (Winterport, ME) and Lee followed with consecutive doubles, with the latter driving in two, and Nate Martin '13 (Chebeague Island, ME) roped a double down the left field line to plate a pair to put the Monks in the driver's seat, 6-1.
After the Cadets plated a run in the fourth, St. Joe's added three runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to collect a 10-2 advantage. Norwich threatened in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs off five hits, but the rally fizzled with two runners on base and the final score 10-6, Monks.
For the Monks, Grant-Roy was 4-4 with three RBI, Adams went 3-4 with an RBI and Lee, Moran, Martin and Kyle Neagle '12 (Lisbon Falls, ME), in his first collegiate start, all produced two hits in the triumph.
For the Cadets, David Maxfield '12 (Randolph, VT) was 2-3 with two runs and a double, Rob Knox '10 (Conway, NH) went 2-4 with a run and two RBI and Dustin Shimkus '13 (Collinsville, IL) was 2-4 with a run and an RBI.
GAME TWO
The Monks lineup didn't procrastinate in the nightcap, as the Royal Blue produced four runs off five hits in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Burdin '10 (Gardiner, ME), who tripled to center with one out, scored on a Keneborus single put the Monks on top. Grant-Roy followed with a single through the left side and scored, along with Keneborus, on a Lee three-bagger to deep left-center. Adams plated Lee with a single to cap the inning's action with the hosts on top, 4-0.
After a scoreless second inning, the Monks went on to add two runs in each of the next three innings to take a 10-1 lead. Travis Dyke '11 (Lewiston, ME) put the Cadets on the board when he scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning.
St. Joe's scored two in the bottom of the third, as Adams notched a sac fly and Nick Saunders '13 (Brooksville, ME) hit a run-scoring single. Lee plated a pair with a bases-loaded single in the fourth and Saunders and Keneborus both registered RBI singles in the fifth for the Monks.
In the sixth inning, Knox singled to drive home Shimkus, who reached with a double, and Adams recorded an RBI double to cap the game scoring with the Monks on top, 11-2.
For the Monks, Adams went 3-3 with three RBI and two doubles, Grant-Roy was 3-4 with two runs and Lee went 2-4 with a triple and four RBI. Keneborus was 2-3 with two runs and two RBI, while Burdin and Craig Woodbrey '10 (Gorham, ME) both went 2-4 with two runs scored. Saunders helped the Monks complete the sweep with a 2-4 effort and drove home two in the nightcap.
For the Cadets, Knox and Shimkus both went 2-3.
Both teams will play noon-time non-conference doubleheaders tomorrow, as the Monks will host Colby College and the Cadets will travel to Plymouth State.
