STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's (23-11, 10-2 GNAC) defeated Daniel Webster College (16-10, 7-6 NECC), 8-6, in a non-conference baseball game at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Friday afternoon. Freshman left fielder Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, NY) went 3-4 with a run and three RBI in the victory.
The Monks built a 4-0 lead off five hits in the first inning but the Eagles tallied six unanswered runs, including five off six hits in the fourth, to secure a two-run lead. St. Joe's managed to regain the advantage without recording a hit in the fifth when the Monks plated three runs off three hit batsmen, two errors and a walk.
Saint Joseph's tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, as Lorenc plated Sam Butts '13 (Saco, ME), who reached with a single, with a base hit to left to account for the 8-6 final.
For the Monks, first baseman Mike Pratt '13 (Dartmouth, MA) was 2-3 with a run, an RBI and a double and shortstop Dan Achorn '12 (Bow, NH) went 2-5 with an RBI.
Starting pitcher Sam Murray '12 (Walpole, MA) did not factor into the decision after allowing three runs off six hits with four K's in 3.1 innings. Joe Gruntkosky '14 (Peabody, MA), who fanned six with three runs allowed off six hits and three walks, collected the victory on the mound and is now 2-1 on the season.
SJC reliever Andrew Devereaux '12 (Hope Valley, RI) tossed two scoreless innings with two K's and one hit allowed to notch his second save of the year.
For the Eagles, third baseman Bruce Brown '11 (Lowell, ME) went 3-5 with a double and two RBI, second baseman Elliot Kilgore '13 (Milford, NH) was 2-4 with two runs and a double, and shortstop Rich Lizzotte '13 (W. Warwick, RI) added two hits in five trips to the plate with a run scored in the loss.
Daniel Webster starter Kory Kiro '12 (Goffstown, NH) fell to 5-2 on the year after yielding seven runs (two earned) off nine hits, three walks and three hit batsmen in five innings of work. The junior righthander fanned four SJC batters during his time on the mound.
Eagles reliever Korey LeLievre '14 (Hudson, NH) gave up one run off three hits while fanning three in 2.2 innings.
As has been the trend of late, the Monks jumped out to an encouraging start as the Royal Blue sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs in the first frame. Pratt, Lorenc, Achorn and Ian Lee '11 (Hampden, ME) all drove home runs during the SJC offensive outburst.
The Eagles answered in the top of the second when Kilgore singled and reached second on a throwing error and scored on a double by first baseman Tyler Bonin '13 (Litchfield, NH).
The Monks had ample opportunity to add to their lead in their next two turns at the dish, but Kiro managed to escape unscathed while the hosts abandoned five runners in the second and third innings combined. Overall, St. Joe's stranded 14 baserunners – a season-high for a nine-inning game – on the afternoon.
The momentum swung in the visitors' favor when Kiro induced three harmless outs with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third. Daniel Webster seemed to feed off the clutch effort and proceeded to score five runs, four with two out, off six hits in the top of the fourth. Bonin, catcher Chris McKenzie '11 (Burlington, MA) and left fielder Darrik Marstaller '13 (Spofford, NH) drove in single runs and Brown plated a pair with a two-bagger during the five-run fourth.
Fortunately for the Monks, the Eagles' bats cooled considerably as Daniel Webster would muster just three hits over the next five innings as Gruntkosky and Devereaux settled in to close out the contest. Only one Eagles runner reached third base in the final five frames.
Meanwhile, the Monks took advantage of the visitors' shortcomings to secure the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. St. Joe's seemed destined to strand runners on first and third during the inning as Butts lofted a routine fly ball with two out, but the ball popped out of the left fielder's mitt to keep the rally alive. Lee, who started the inning by getting plunked, scored on the miscue and Campbell later scampered home on a passed ball to tie the game at six-apiece. Two walks loaded the bases for Lorenc, who was hit by a pitch to drive in the eventual game-winning run.
In the bottom of the seventh, Butts singled through the right side and scored on a Lorenc single to provide the Monks with some extra breathing room.
With the win, St. Joe's improves to 7-0 in the history of the series with Daniel Webster College. The teams haven't played since the 2009 campaign when the Monks topped the Eagles by a 9-6 margin at Mahaney Diamond.
Saint Joseph's will host Norwich University in a conference doubleheader tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. Daniel Webster, skippered by SJC alum J.P. Pyne '01, will play at Plymouth State on Monday at 4:00 PM.
