WALTHAM, MA – Saint Joseph's (23-3, 8-0 GNAC) swept a GNAC twinbill with Lasell College (10-18, 3-5 GNAC), winning the opener by a 10-6 margin before capping the sweep with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap, at Stein Diamond on the campus of Brandeis University on Tuesday.
The Monks' bats produced 25 hits, including 11 of the extra-base variety, in the two-game set. St. Joe's rapped nine doubles, including six in the opening contest, a triple, and two home runs en route to plating 18 runs in the pair of conference victories.
GAME ONE
Saint Joseph's would not find the scoreboard until the Monks put a six-spot on the board in the third inning and added four in the fourth to secure a 10-0 cushion. The host-Lasers would plate single runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth frames and rallied late with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to account for the 10-6 final.
Lasell starter Brendan Jordan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) held the Monks without a hit for the first two innings, but St. Joe's would explode for six runs off six hits to chase the sophomore right-hander from the game with one out in the top of the third. Third baseman Lincoln Sanborn (Standish, Maine) led off with single and walked home when the following batter, junior second baseman Brandon Chase (Naples, Maine) belted his second home run of the season. The Monks then rapped three consecutive doubles as Sam Butts (Saco, Maine), Dan Achorn (Bow, N.H.) and Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) came together to plate a pair of runs, making it a 4-0 contest. After a deep fly-out to left by Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, Mass.), Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, N.Y.) strutted to the plate and slammed a deep jack to left-center for his second tater of the year, plating Coyne and lifting his team to a 6-0 advantage. The big fly prompted Lasell Head Coach Greg Harjula to lift Jordan in favor of freshman Greg Sherman (Marshfield, Mass.), who managed to close out the inning with a pair of fly-outs.
Saint Joseph's went on to make it a 10-0 game with four runs off four hits in their next turn at the bat. Chase led off with a walk and promptly moved into scoring position by stealing second base. Butts turned on an 0-2 pitch for a double down the right field line, scoring Chase, and scrambled home when Achorn singled. Achorn would later score on a wild pitch and Coyne, who reached with a base hit to right, scored on a Pratt two-bagger, capping the Monks' scoring in the opener.
Lasell finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, scoring a run off two hits. SJC junior starter Tyler Laverriere (Biddeford, Maine) fanned the first batter, but the next hitter – senior center fielder Conor Cavanaugh (Quincy, Mass.), doubled to deep right-center and would score when Jacob Salkovitz (Brockton, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice.
The Lasers added another run in the fifth when Christopher Pittman (Brockton, Mass.) doubled and scored on a single by senior second baseman Josh Sullivan (Rockland, Mass.).
With the game well at hand, Laverriere's outing ended after six innings as sophomore southpaw Chris Bryant (New Gloucester, Maine) took over in the final frame. Bryant uncharacteristically struggled with his command and, as a result, surrendered four runs off five hits in 2/3 inning before giving way to senior slinger Andrew Devereaux (Hope Valley, R.I.), who slammed the door with a strikeout, earning his second save of the season.
For the Monks, Butts was 2-4 with two runs, two doubles and an RBI, Coyne went 2-4 with two runs, a double and an RBI, Achorn notched two hits in five trips with two runs, a double and a pair of RBI, and Chase was 1-1 with two runs, a homer and two RBI. Laverriere improved to 2-1 on the year after scattering nine hits with two runs allowed and seven strikeouts.
Sullivan, Matt Mahoney (Rockland, Mass.) and Billy Uberti (Newton, Mass.) tallied three hits apiece for the Lasers while Cavanaugh posted two hits in four at bats with two runs, a double and an RBI in the losing effort. Jordan suffered the loss after allowing six runs off six hits in 2.1 innings while Andrew Porter (Middleboro, Mass.) and Vinny Romano (Yonkers, N.Y.) combined to toss three innings of shutout, three-hit ball in relief.
GAME TWO
The Monks wasted no time taking the lead in the nightcap as Butts led off with a double and scored when the following batter, Achorn, ripped a single up the middle. Achorn then moved to second when Coyne worked a walk, scampered to third on a Pratt fly-out, and scored via Lorenc sac fly to provide the visitors with an early 2-0 lead.
The Lasers would also score in the first as the hosts utilized two hits to push a run across off SJC starter Nick Whittaker (Yarmouth, Maine) to cut their deficit to 2-1. With two out, Uberti was plunked, moved to second on a Cavanaugh single, and scored when Bobby Stanchura (Middletown, Conn.) reached via base knock.
St. Joe's went right back to work, taking the run back and adding two more in the top of the second. Dan Brown (Portland, Maine/Deering) was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a Chase double, and scored when Butts lifted a sac fly to center. Achorn plated Chase with a single and scored himself when Pratt rapped a base hit, lifting Saint Joseph's to a 5-1 cushion.
The Monks added two more runs in the third when Lorenc, who led off with a double, and Alex Markakis (Lynnfield, Mass.) who reached with a single, were driven home on a Butts base hit. St. Joe's extended the lead to 8-1 in their next turn when Lorenc singled and scored on a triple by freshman catcher Nic Lops (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus).
Lasell would tack on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to close out the game scoring. In the fourth, Pittman tripled and scored on a Matt Sammarco (New Canaan, Conn.) base hit. After being hit by a pitch, Uberti scored on a Stachura single in the fifth to make it an 8-3 game.
For the Monks, Butts was 2-3 with a run, a double and three RBI, Achorn went 2-4 with two runs and two RBI, Lorenc produced two hits in three AB's with two runs, a double and an RBI, and Lops was 2-4 with a triple and a run batted in. Whittaker improved to 4-0 on the year after yielding three runs off seven hits and a walk while fanning six in six innings. Kyle Neagle (Lisbon Falls, Maine) worked a scoreless seventh with a walk and a pair of strikeouts.
For the Lasers, Stachura was 2-4 with a pair of RBI and Sammarco went 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Starting pitcher Dan O'Boyle (Bayport, N.Y.) was slapped with the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) off eight hits and a walk in 2.1 innings. Freshman lefty David Long (Brookfield, Conn.) was solid in relief, allowing one run off four hits and a walk while striking out seven in 3.2 frames, and Brian Roy (Taunton, Mass.) walked a batter in a scoreless seventh inning.
With the sweep Saint Joseph's improves to 8-1 in the history of the series with Lasell College. The Monks have now defeated the Lasers in six consecutive contests dating back to the 2010 campaign.
Saint Joseph's will host Maine-Farmington in a non-conference doubleheader on Friday at 3:30 PM.
