STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's (16-9, 6-2 GNAC) won both ends of a doubleheader with Norwich University (3-16, 2-6 GNAC) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball action at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Wednesday afternoon. The Monks topped the Cadets by an 8-2 score in the opener and capped the sweep with a 5-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Saint Joseph's, which entered the day having lost four-consecutive games, got back on track today by utilizing a formula of early scoring and outstanding pitching in both tilts. In the first game, the Monks scored six runs in the first two innings and received another fine pitching performance from sophomore Alex Valenti (Lawrence, Mass.), who improved to 3-0 on the year after fanning nine while allowing two runs off seven hits and a pair of walks in a complete-game effort.
St. Joe's used the same blueprint in the closing contest, as the Royal Blue scored four times in the first three frames and rode the combined pitching effort of Tyler Laverriere (Biddeford, Maine), Corey McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) and Joe Gruntkosky (Peabody, Mass.) to a 5-2 triumph.
In the opener, the Monks were led offensively by senior first baseman Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, Mass.), who went 2-3 with a run and a pair of RBI, and junior right fielder Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, N.Y.), who was 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Senior second baseman Brandon Chase (Naples, Maine) also enjoyed a productive outing by going 1-2 with a run and two RBI in the triumph.
For Norwich, sophomore second baseman Sean Gerich (Chicago, Ill.) was 2-3 with an RBI and freshman third baseman Mike Doyle (Weymouth, Mass.) belted a solo home run. Senior starting pitcher Brad Hudson (Eugene, Ore.) was tagged with the loss after yielding six runs (four earned) off five hits and a walk in one-plus innings. Freshman reliever Jacob Muetterties (Boxford, Mass.) pitched well for the visitors and gave up one run off two hits with one strikeout in four innings and sophomore Brandon Place (Concord, N.H.) surrendered one run off three hits and a walk in one inning of mop-up duty.
The Monks struck quickly again in the nightcap, as freshman left fielder reached on an infield error to lead off in the bottom of the first and scored when sophomore catcher Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) doubled to deep right-center. Coyne and Pratt, who walked, both scored when Lorenc singled to left, lifting Saint Joseph's to an early 3-0 cushion.
St. Joe's had an opportunity to pad the lead in their next turn when the hosts had the bases loaded with two out, but Norwich starter Sam Philbrook (Rochester, Mass.) fanned Pratt to negate the threat.
The Cadets seemed to gain momentum after the key strikeout, as the visitors managed to cut their deficit to 3-2 with a pair of runs off four hits in the top of the third. With one out, freshman shortstop singled through the left side and later scored on a Doyle base hit. Place roped a double down the left field line and crossed the plate on a Dustin Shimkus (Collinsville, Ill.) fielder's choice.
As it played out, the Cadets would not score again while the Monks tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to account for the 5-2 final. Lorenc produced the run on his own by launching his first home run of the season over the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth.
With the sweep, Saint Joseph's improves to 12-0 in the history of the series with Norwich University.
Saint Joseph's hosts non-conference foe Castleton State College in a single nine-inning game on Friday (1:00 PM). Norwich hosts a pair of GNAC doubleheaders over the weekend, as the Cadets face Lasell College on Saturday (1:00 PM) and Johnson & Wales University (1:00 PM) on Sunday.
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.
