NASHUA, NH - #2 Saint Joseph's College (27-10, 13-3 GNAC) toppled top-seeded Johnson & Wales University (27-13, 13-3 GNAC), 7-2, in GNAC Baseball Tournament play at Holman Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With the triumph, Saint Joseph's advances to the conference championship game for the sixth time in as many years as a GNAC member and the Monks will vie for their fifth GNAC crown tomorrow when they battle #3 Suffolk University at Holman Stadium in a 12:00 PM start.
Suffolk, which suffered an 8-6 loss at the hands of Saint Joseph's on Thursday, recorded a 5-2 win over #4 Lasell College earlier today and knocked Johnson & Wales out of the tournament with a 4-2 victory in the final contest of the afternoon.
As has been the case all season long, stellar pitching played a major role in today's GNAC semifinal triumph. Senior starter Tyler Laverriere (Biddeford, Maine) and freshman reliever Corey McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) combined to work a nine-inning two-hitter with 10 total strikeouts to help propel the Monks to Championship Sunday.
Johnson & Wales got on the board first as the Wildcats recorded a run on what wound up being the only two hits they would tally in the bottom of the first. Senior center fielder James Reyes (Santo Domingo, D.R.) led off the frame with a hustle-double and, after moving to third on a Kory Ferullo (Rochester, N.H.) sac bunt, later scored when the Monks traded two for one with a double play ball off the bat of senior right fielder Zack Boyes (West Warwick, R.I.).
Unfazed by the early deficit, the Monks managed to put up a crooked number with five runs off six hits and a pair of JWU miscues in the top of the second. Sophomore designated hitter Nic Lops (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus) opened with a double to the right-center gap and senior second baseman Brandon Chase (Naples, Maine) and junior catcher Willie Brown (Fayette, Maine) both singled to load the bases for senior center fielder Sam Butts (Saco, Maine), who plated Lops and Chase with a base hit to right. Brown also came around to score as the Wildcats committed two errors on plays at the plate, making it a 3-1 game. Butts, who moved up to third on the JWU throwing errors, later scored on an Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, N.Y.) single and freshman shortstop Zack Graham (Marlborough, Mass.), who reached with a walk, came around to score the Monks' fifth run when senior Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, Mass.) singled to left.
The 5-1 cushion remained until the top of the fourth when Saint Joseph's plated a pair off three hits. Butts led off with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch and Lorenc, who also reached with a base knock, scrambled home from second base when sophomore Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) singled through the right side.
The Wildcats managed to score their second run of the contest in the fifth inning without recording a hit. Senior designated hitter Pete Rosa (Ambler, Pa.) reached via hit by pitch to lead off the frame and, after moving up 180 feet on a pair of passed balls, tapped home plate when senior Tyler Newell (Westerly, R.I.) grounded out to short.
The final four innings flew by, as the conference counterparts combined to produce just seven baserunners down the stretch.
For the Monks, Lorenc went 4-5 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base and Butts was 3-4 with two runs and a pair of RBI. Laverriere allowed two runs off two hits and three walks while fanning six over seven frames to improve to 5-2 on the season. McNamara tossed two nearly perfect frames of relief, allowing a walk with four K's in two efficient innings to close out the game.
Sophomore southpaw John Amodeo (Mahopac, N.Y.) took the loss after yielding seven runs (four earned) off 10 hits and a free pass with one strikeout in five innings for the Wildcats. Senior reliever Aaron Fenstermacher (Dixfield, Maine) scattered three hits over three scoreless innings and freshman Gian Bianchi (Johnston, R.I.) struck out one batter in a single inning of relief.
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.
