BRUNSWICK, ME - The Bowdoin College baseball team got a complete game from first-year Harry Ridge and a timely two-out, two-run single from senior Luke Regan to take a 2-1 win over Saint Joseph's on Monday afternoon.
Winners of five of their last six games, the Polar Bears improve to 13-9 on the season. The Monks, ranked 21st in the latest NCBWA Division III poll, have lost three straight games and fall to 14-8 this spring.
Ridge tossed a complete game for Bowdoin, allowing four singles and striking out five batters, allowing one unearned run in the victory. Nick Whittaker took a tough-luck loss for the Monks, permitting two earned runs and six hits over seven innings of work.
Saint Joseph's took an early lead in the fourth inning, getting three of their four hits in succession following an error. Nic Lops brought home Louie Vigars with a run-scoring single to give the visitors the lead. The Monks loaded the bases, but Ridge was able to get out of the jam with a pop-out and a flyout to end the threat.
Bowdoin answered in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on first and second with one away. Duncan Taylor struck out swinging, but the ball kicked away from home plate, allowing John Lefeber and Danny Findley to advance to second and third with two outs. Luke Regan ripped an RBI single to center, bringing home Lefeber and Findley to give Bowdoin the lead.
Ridge took care of business from there; retiring 9 of the final 11 batters he faced to clinch the win. The Monks threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as Mike Pratt reached on an error to start the inning. After a sacrifice moved him to second base, Ridge was able to get Alex Markakis on a pop out to second. Alex Lorenc put a charge into the final pitch of the game, driving a long fly to left field. Bowdoin's Tim McGarry settled under it, a few feet shy of the warning track, to close out the contest.
Lefeber was the only batter with multiple hits, going 3-4 for Bowdoin.
Bowdoin will return to action on Friday at home against Colby (3:00 p.m.). The Monks will play at Southern Maine on Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
COURTESY OF BOWDOIN COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
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.
