STANDISH, ME – #11 Saint Joseph's College (9-4) split a non-conference baseball doubleheader with Roger Williams University (10-8) at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Friday afternoon. The Monks suffered an extra-inning 1-0 loss in the opener and rebounded to defeat the Hawks by a 3-0 margin in the nightcap.
Roger Williams, which entered the day having never defeated Saint Joseph's in the 12-game history of the match-up, dealt St. Joe's a difficult defeat in the first game, as the visitors plated an unearned run in the top of the ninth to knock off the Monks. Junior starting pitcher Nick Whittaker (Yarmouth, Maine) was the story in the closing contest, as the righthander tossed a complete-game one-hitter with four strikeouts to help the Royal Blue salvage a split in the team's 2013 home-opening twinbill.
GAME ONE
The first game was a classic pitcher's duel, as Saint Joseph's sophomore Alex Valenti (Lawrence, Mass.) and Roger Williams sophomore A.J. Bashaw (Norton, Mass.) locked heads for eight complete frames before giving way to the team's respective closers.
Senior center fielder Sam Butts (Saco, Maine) looked to get the Monks off to a hot start with a lead-off double in the bottom of the first inning, but the team co-captain was stranded at third. The hosts' best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the fourth when the Royal Blue had runners on second and third with two out, but Bashaw dug deep and fanned Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, N.Y.) to thwart the SJC opportunity.
Valenti held the Hawks hitless through four frames and surrendered just three hits over eight frames. The second-year righthander saw his no-hit bid dashed when sophomore catcher Chris Travers (East Freetown, Mass.) singled through the left side on a hit and run play in the top of the fifth.
Roger Williams threatened in the eighth when junior Mike Thomas (Plainville, Conn.) rapped a one-out single, moved to second on a groundout and sprinted to third on a wild pitch, but would advance no further as Valenti induced a harmless grounder to first baseman Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, Mass.) to end the inning.
Butts tried again to get something going with a lead-off single in the bottom of the eighth, moved into scoring position on a well-placed sac bunt from Alex Markakis (Lynnfield, Mass.) and scampered to third on a Nic Lops (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus) groundout to first. Butts would be stranded at third yet again however, as Bashaw came up with a big strikeout to maintain the scoreless deadlock.
With Valenti beginning to show signs of fatigue, Head Coach Will Sanborn '86 tapped emerging closer Corey McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) to take the hill in the top of the ninth. The freshman induced a groundout to third with his first pitch, but walked the following batter – senior shortstop John Oppenheimer (Westport, Conn.) – on a very close 3-2 pitch. The free pass would have consequences later as Oppenheimer moved to second on a Reid Nelson (Wallingford, Conn.) single and scored the game's only run when the next batter - Matt Jefferis (Cheshire, Conn.) – reached on a difficult infield play that was ruled an error.
Butts was the only repeat-hitter for either team, having gone 2-4 with a double in the 1-0 setback. Freshman shortstop Zack Graham (Marlborough, Mass.) recorded his first NCAA hit with a sharp single to right field with two out in the bottom of the fifth.
GAME TWO
Saint Joseph's went on the offensive early in the nightcap, as the Monks would end an 11-inning scoreless drought with two runs off one hit in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman right fielder Tim Beaudette (Uxbridge, Mass.) led off the frame with a walk and later scored on a Pratt single after moving to second on a Butts sacrifice bunt and third on a Lops fielder's choice. Sophomore catcher Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) plated Lops, who scrambled to third on Pratt's single, to lift the hosts to a 2-0 cushion after one inning of play.
In the bottom of the second, senior second baseman Brandon Chase (Naples, Maine) opened with a single through the left side and moved up a bag on a David Nieves (York, Maine) sac bunt. Following a Louie Vigars (Stratham, N.H.) groundout, Beaudette drove in Chase with a two-out double to left center to provide the Royal Blue with a 3-0 advantage.
Whittaker cruised through the first three frames and did not allow a base hit until senior Matt Swensen (Charlton, Mass.) singled up the middle – just beyond the reach of a diving Nieves – with one out in the top of the fourth.
Whittaker, who improves to 2-1 on the season with the dominant effort, recorded four strikeouts and walked a pair in the victory. Roger Williams starter Josh Orosz (Fairfield, Conn.) took the loss after yielding three runs off five hits and a walk with one punch-out in six innings of work.
Saint Joseph's freshman designated hitter Taylor Reuillard (Biddeford, Maine) doubled in the victory.
The Monks kick off Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Saturday when they host Lasell College in a two-game set slated to start at 12:00 PM. Roger Williams plays host to CCC rival Endicott College on Monday with the first of two games starting at 2:00 PM.
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 350-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
