STANDISH, Maine - #19/24 Saint Joseph's College (24-6, 7-1 GNAC) and Suffolk University (18-9, 9-1 GNAC) split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Saturday afternoon. The Monks opened with a 4-2 victory and the Rams salvaged a split with a 2-1 nightcap triumph.
GAME ONE: SAINT JOSEPH'S 4, SUFFOLK 2
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The conference rivals swapped runs and the game stood at a 2-2 stalemate heading into the bottom of the sixth, when Saint Joseph's took advantage of two Suffolk errors to score twice on one hit to stake a 4-2 lead. Senior right fielder Dennis Meehan (Gardiner, Maine) led off with an infield single and swiped second before scoring on a ball hit by pinch-hitter Dan Donovan (Lynn, Mass.) that was misplayed in left-center. Freshman Adam Twitchell (Shrewsbury, Mass.) replaced Donovan at second base and scored when the following batter, sophomore shortstop Joey Murphy (Derry, N.H.), reached on an infield error.
ON THE MOUND:
Saint Joseph's junior starter Travis Godbout (Portland, Maine) gave up two runs on six hits and a walk with four K's in five innings before giving way to classmate Josh Partridge (Deerfield, N.H.), who allowed a hit and a walk with three punch-outs in two frames to earn his sixth win of the season.
Suffolk junior starter Mark Fusco (Medford, Mass.) took the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts in a complete game effort. He falls to 3-3 on the year with the setback.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Meehan was the Monks' lone repeat-hitter and was 2-3 with a run and a stolen base
- Sophomore center fielder Jared Gagne (Dover, N.H.) tripled and scored a run
- Senior third baseman Taylor Black (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.) was 1-2 with a stolen base and an RBI and broke the Monks' career hit by pitch record when he was nailed in the bottom of the third – he now has been hit 41 times in his career and moves past former teammate Alex Lorenc '14 on the all-time list
OFF THE BAT – SUFFOLK:
- Senior catcher Matt Brenner (Eliot, Maine) was the Rams' only repeat-hitter and went 2-3 with an RBI in the losing effort
GAME TWO – SUFFOLK 2, SAINT JOSEPH'S 1
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Locked in a pitching duel, the Monks and Rams put zeroes on the board until the bottom of the fourth, when sophomore left fielder Noah McDaniel (Eliot, Maine) singled, stole second, and scored on a Meehan single.
The Rams, hitless through 5 2/3 innings, put up all their offense in the top of the seventh, when Seth Coiley (Arlington, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a Brenner sacrifice bunt, and tied the game on a Curtis Tirone (Waltham, Mass.) base hit to left field. Tirone advanced to second on an infield groundout and scored the winning run, with two out, on a Kevin Belskie (Norristown, Pa.) single through the right side.
ON THE MOUND:
SJC freshman starter Matt Demma (Worcester, Mass.) tossed 4.2 no-hit innings with a walk and two strikeouts before being lifted in favor of Partridge (6-1), who suffered his first loss of the year after yielding two runs off four hits with three K's in 2.1 innings.
Suffolk senior Chuck Gibson (Malden, Mass.) improves to 5-0 after allowing a run off five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in a complete-game performance.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- McDaniel was 1-1 with a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI
OFF THE BAT – SUFFOLK:
- Tirone was 1-3 with a run and an RBI
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the split, Saint Joseph's is now 28-21 in the history of the series with Suffolk University.
NEXT!
Both teams are back in action facing conference opponents tomorrow, when Saint Joseph's plays a pair at Rivier University (1:00 PM) and Suffolk hosts Lasell College in a twinbill starting at 4:00 PM.
#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.
