HOLDEN, MA – SJC starting pitcher Kevin Chamberlain '11 (Scarborough, ME) provided the Monks (22-11, 10-2 GNAC) with a gutsy complete-game performance in a 10-7 win over Anna Maria College (22-11, 11-9 TCCC) on a windy Thursday afternoon.
After surrendering five runs off six hits in the bottom of the first, Chamberlain went on to allow two unearned runs off seven hits over the final eight frames to notch his second nine-inning complete-game victory of the season. The senior captain tied a career-high with nine K's and yielded just one walk on the afternoon.
The Monks provided their starting pitcher with plenty of run support and added four home runs in the triumph, the most in a game since the Royal Blue jacked the same number in a win over Emerson College on April 11th, 2010. Todd Keneborus (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus), Dan Achorn (Bow, NH), Sam Butts (Saco, ME), and Ian Lee (Hampden, ME) all went deep against the AMCATS, who will join the Monks as a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) next year.
The game began with an offensive explosion from both teams. The Monks put up four runs in the top of first inning. Chris Campbell (Rochester, NH) led off the inning with a single before Butts (Saco, Maine) came up and took advantage of the short porch in right, launching a two-run homer, on a slash play, to take a 2-0 lead. Keneborus singled and was followed by Achorn (Bow, NH), who came up and slugged the second home run of the inning to put the Monks ahead, 4-0.
The AMCATS answered back in a big way during the bottom of the first. Justin Hyland (Spencer, MA) and Andy Fallon (Worcester, MA) led off the inning with singles to get the rally started. Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, MA) then doubled home Hyland to make the score 4-1 with two runners on and no outs. Mike Guarnieri (Wallingford, CT) brought two more runs across with a single, cutting the SJC lead to 4-3. Jeff Kodys (Holden, CT) stepped up to the plate and launched his team-leading fourth home run of the year to put the AMCATS ahead, 5-4.
The score remained at 5-4 until the top of the fourth, when SJC catcher Ian Lee (Hampden, Maine) hit a solo home run to deep center field, tying the game at 5-all.
The AMCATS battled back to regain the lead with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning, putting them ahead 6-5.
The Monks tied the game again in the top of the fifth thanks to a sacrifice fly by Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, MA), and took the lead for good on an Achorn RBI-single.
The Monks tacked on another run in the sixth and two more in the eighth thanks to a two-run homer by Keneborus to build a 10-6 advantage.
The AMCATS managed to score an unearned run in the ninth to cut the lead to 10-7, but that is all they could muster, as the Monks took the victory by a final score of 10-7.
Keneborus paced the SJC offensive effort and went 3-4 with three runs, three RBI and a home run in the win. Achorn was 2-3 with a run, a homer and three RBI and Campbell notched a 2-4 effort with a pair of runs scored on the day. Butts tallied two runs and two RBI and Lee crossed the plate on two occasions.
The AMCATS got two hits apiece from Hyland, Fallon, Scafidi, Guarnieri, and Jim McNamara (Worcester, MA). McNamara took the loss on the mound for the AMCATS allowing seven runs in five innings.
Anna Maria reliever Zach Rafferty '11 (Worcester, MA) fanned seven batters but also walked seven and gave up a two-run blast to Keneborus during four innings on the hill.
The Monks and AMCATS, about to become conference-rivals, had never met on the baseball diamond before today's action.
The Monks return to action on Friday when they take on Daniel Webster in a non-conference matchup at home starting at 4:00 PM. The AMCATS will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they take on Bates in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2:00 PM.
THANKS IN PART TO ANNA MARIA COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
