NASHUA, N.H. – #19/24 Saint Joseph's College (26-6, 9-1 GNAC) handled Rivier University (3-25, 2-10 GNAC) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball doubleheader at Holman Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Monks opened with a 16-9 triumph and toppled the Raiders by an 18-0 score in the nightcap.
GAME ONE: SAINT JOSEPH'S 16, RIVIER 9
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks rattled off 21 hits and featured seven repeat-hitters with 13 different players recording at least one hit in the opener. Saint Joseph's held a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the third, when the Royal Blue scored six runs off eight hits.
St. Joe's tacked on a run in the fourth and exploded for seven runs off just four hits in the sixth before the Raiders' bats came alive with nine runs combined in the sixth and seventh frames.
ON THE MOUND:
SJC sophomore starter Grayson Jennings (Mililani, Hawaii) improves to 2-1 after scattering three hits with a pair of punch-outs in five innings. Junior Steven Albert (Worcester, Mass.) surrendered nine runs off eight hits, a walk, and two hit batsmen in an inning-plus before being lifted in favor of classmate Marc Poirier (Lunenburg, Mass.), who allowed two hits in an inning of relief.
Rivier senior starter Charles Savard (Tyngsboro, Mass.) falls to 0-5 after allowing 14 runs (10 earned) off 20 hits with two K's in 5.1 innings. Freshman reliever Alex DiVito (Somerville, Mass.) allowed a pair of unearned runs off one hit and five walks in 1.2 frames.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Sophomore catcher Greg Emanuelson (Hudson, N.H.) went 3-5 with a run, a double, and four RBI
- Senior designated hitter Jameson Collins (Sandown, N.H.) was 2-3 with two runs and a solo home run, his sixth jack of the season
- Senior second baseman Taylor Black (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.) went 2-4 with a run, a homer, and two RBI
- Sophomore shortstop Joey Murphy (Derry, N.H.) was 2-4 with a run, a double, and two RBI
- Senior right fielder Dennis Meehan (Gardiner, Maine) went 2-3 with a run and an RBI
- Senior first baseman Brett Barbati (Melrose, Mass.) was 2-3 with a run scored
- Senior left fielder Dan Donovan (Lynn, Mass.) went 2-4 with two runs and an RBI
- Senior center fielder Scott Betts (Peabody, Mass.) scored two runs with two RBI and a triple
OFF THE BAT – RIVIER:
- Senior third baseman Jacob Rayner (Billerica, Mass.) was 3-5 with a run, a homer, and five RBI
- Junior center fielder Jonathan De La Cruz (Haverhill, Mass.) went 2-3 with two runs, a double, and an RBI
- Senior designated hitter Adam Arkel (Dover, N.H.) was 2-4 with a run and an RBI
- Sophomore first baseman Brett Iannazzo (Methuen, Mass.) went 2-2 with a double and an RBI
GAME TWO – SAINT JOSEPH'S 18, RIVIER 0
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks kicked off the closing contest with eight runs off seven hits and a pair of Rivier errors in the top of the first and sailed to victory to complete the sweep.
With 18 hits overall, Saint Joseph's featured six repeat-hitters with 10 different players being credited with at least one hit in the one-sided triumph.
On the flip side, the Raiders were held to just three hits while four Saint Joseph's hurlers toed the slab.
ON THE MOUND:
Senior starter Nick Malatesta (Wrentham, Mass.) tossed three one-hit innings with a walk and a strikeout but did not factor into the decision. Junior Aaron Hall (Haverhill, Mass.) improved to 3-0 after facing three batters with a strikeout in a perfect inning of relief while senior Ben Coleman (Williamstown, Mass.) and junior Phil LeVangie (Hanover, Mass.) combined to allow two hits with three K's in three innings of work.
Rivier senior starter Jonathan Chotkowski (Tewksbury, Mass.) took the loss after giving up 13 runs (five earned) off 13 hits and a walk in three innings while relievers Christopher Ciacci (New Bedford, Mass.), Martin Acosta (Salem, N.H.), and Kyle Flanagan (Bradford, Mass.) combined to yield five runs off five hits and four walks in three innings.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Barbati went 3-3 with a run and two RBI
- Black was 3-4 with three runs and a double
- Sophomore third baseman Noah McDaniel (Eliot, Maine) went 2-4 with three runs, a double, and three RBI
- Freshman left fielder Ben Gravel (Rochester, N.H.) was 2-3 with a run, a double, and a pair of RBI – he also walked twice
- Sophomore catcher Jake DiPrizio (Rochester, N.H.) went 2-3 with three runs, two RBI, and a pair of walks
- Collins was 2-3 with two runs, a double, and an RBI
- Sophomore center fielder Jared Gagne (Dover, N.H.) and freshman right fielder Adam Twitchell (Shrewsbury, Mass.) both knocked in a pair of runs
- Meehan scored three runs and was 1-3 with an RBI
OFF THE BAT – RIVIER:
- Rayner, Iannazzo, and junior Tyler Ferdinand (Middleboro, Mass.) recorded a hit apiece in the losing bid
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the sweep, Saint Joseph's improves to 24-1 in the history of the series with Rivier University and has now defeated the Raiders in 19-consecutive meetings.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will host Bowdoin College in a non-conference contest Tuesday evening at 7:00 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.
