NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Saint Joseph's College (22-11, 12-2 GNAC) won both ends of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball doubleheader versus Norwich University (4-31, 2-12 GNAC) on Saturday afternoon. In the opener, the Monks blanked the Cadets, 5-0, and completed the sweep with a 17-7 triumph in the closing contest.
THE LEAD
Saint Joseph's received sound pitching performances from starter Josh Partridge (Deerfield, N.H.) and Marc Poirier (Lunenburg, Mass.) and timely hitting to claim the 5-0 opening victory in a game that required just over two hours to complete.
Senior left fielder Taylor Reuillard (Biddeford, Maine) led the Monks to the convincing nightcap win by going 4-4 with two runs, a double, and a career-high six RBI while sophomore starter Travis Godbout (Portland, Maine) improved to 5-1 on the season after allowing two earned runs off four hits with seven strikeouts over four frames.
With the sweep – and Suffolk University's split with Albertus Magnus College this afternoon – Saint Josephs' earns the top seed in the GNAC Tournament and will host a quarterfinal contest on Thursday afternoon. Opponent and start time TBD.
GAME ONE – SAINT JOSEPH'S 5, NORWICH 0
SJC HIGHLIGHTS
- Senior catcher Nic Lops (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus) was 1-4 with a run, a double, and an RBI
- Reuillard and junior first baseman Brett Barbati (Melrose, Mass.) notched run-scoring singles
- Junior third baseman Taylor Black (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.) worked a pair of walks and scored twice
PITCHERS OF RECORD
- Partridge scattered three hits with three walks and a punch-out over five innings to improve to 4-1 on the year
- Poirier tossed two scoreless innings with four hits allowed and four K's
- Norwich hurler Brian Whaley took the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) off five hits and five walks with four strikeouts in five innings
GAME TWO – SAINT JOSEPH'S 17, NORWICH 7
SJC HIGHLIGHTS
- Freshman third baseman Noah McDaniel (Eliot, Maine) was 3-5 with three runs and a stolen base
- Junior right fielder Dan Donovan (Lynn, Mass.) went 3-3 with a run, a double, and an RBI
- Freshman shortstop Joey Murphy (Derry, N.H.) was 2-3 with two runs, a two-bagger, a stolen base, and a pair of RBI
- Lops added two hits, a run, and an RBI in four at-bats
- Black was 1-3 with three runs and a steal
- Sophomore catcher Jacob White (Salem, N.H.) and freshman receiver Greg Emanuelson (Hudson, N.H.) both scored twice
PITCHERS OF RECORD
- Godbout meandered his way through several jams en route to earning his team-leading fifth win of the season
- Sophomore Steven Albert (Worcester, Mass.) yielded four runs off five hits over two innings of relief
- Senior reliever Corey McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) worked a scoreless seventh with a hit allowed and a strikeout
- Norwich starter Kaleb Smith fell to 0-9 on the year after surrendering seven runs (two earned) off 10 hits over 3.2 innings
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
With the sweep, Saint Joseph's remains undefeated versus Norwich University, as the Monks are now 18-0 versus the Cadets since joining the GNAC in 2008. The shutout victory is the Monks' fourth goose-egg effort against the Cadets.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will host Endicott College Monday afternoon in a 4:00 PM start. The Monks will honor the program's four seniors – Lops, McNamara, Reuillard, and Riley Cox (Westford, Mass.) with a brief ceremony prior to first pitch.
#GOMONKS
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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 474-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.
