STANDISH, Maine - #20/22 Saint Joseph's College (31-6, 13-1 GNAC) toppled MIT (20-11-1, 10-7 NEWMAC), 15-5, in non-conference baseball action at Larry Mahaney Diamond on a chilly and wet Monday afternoon. With the win, the Monks have now won seven-consecutive contests. For MIT, the setback snaps a five-game winning streak.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, the Monks took advantage of the Engineers' inconsistent command on the mound and two MIT miscues en route to scoring seven runs off just one hit in their second turn. Five different SJC batters reach first base after being hit by a pitch, including two with the bases full, in the bottom of the second.
The Engineers plated two runs off two hits in the top of the third, when junior shortstop Austin Filiere (Chandler, Ariz.) hit a sac fly and freshman Matt Johnston (Portola Valley, Calif.) notched an RBI single.
The Monks employed the long ball to extend their lead over their next three at bats, as senior designated hitter Jameson Collins (Sandown, N.H.) launched his team-leading eighth home run of the year, a solo blast, in the third and senior third baseman Taylor Black (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.) belted a two-run shot in the fifth to make it a 10-2 game.
ON THE MOUND:
SJC junior starter Aaron Hall (Haverhill, Mass.) yielded two runs off three hits and four walks with one strikeout over 4.1 innings before giving way to junior Philip LeVangie (Hanover, Mass.), who picked up the win and improved to 4-0 after allowing an unearned run off a hit and two walks with a pair of K's in 2.2 innings. Junior southpaw Josh Partridge (Deerfield, N.H.) gave up two unearned runs off two hits and a free pass with two punch-outs in two frames.
MIT sophomore starter Nick Charchut (Santa Monica, Calif.) falls to 0-1 on the year after allowing seven unearned runs off two hits, four walks, and four hit batsmen with one strikeout in 1.2 innings of work. Junior Zach Michaud (Moorestown, N.J.) surrendered three runs off five hits – including two homers - and a walk with one strikeout over 3.1 innings of relief and sophomore Zeke Long (Albuquerque, N.M.) gave up two runs (one earned) off two hits and a pair of walks in two innings. Freshman Trey Roberts (Cedar Park, Texas) closed out the game for the Engineers and yielded thee runs off one hit and two walks in one frame.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Collins was 2-4 with two runs, a homer, and two RBI
- Senior shortstop Max McCoomb (South Berwick, Maine) went 2-3 with two runs and an RBI
- Senior first baseman Brett Barbati (Melrose, Mass.) added two hits, a run, an RBI, and a stolen base in five trips to the plate
- Sophomore second baseman Joey Murphy (Derry, N.H.) reached base four times with a single and three walks and scored four runs
- Senior right fielder Dennis Meehan (Gardiner, Maine) scored a run and plated a pair
OFF THE BAT – MIT:
- Filiere was the Engineers' lone repeat-hitter and was 2-4 with a double and an RBI
- Sophomore catcher Alex Kushner (Cooper City, Fla.) went 1-4 with a pair of RBI
- Junior left fielder Kyler Kocher (Mesa, Ariz.) registered three walks with a run and a stolen base
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 2-4 in the history of the series with MIT and snaps a three-game losing streak at the hands of the Engineers. MIT defeated SJC by a 14-7 margin in the last meeting between the New England rivals, a game played in Boston on May 12th, 2016.
SENIOR MOMENT:
Prior to the start of today's game the Monks held a brief ceremony to honor the program's 12 seniors: Barbati, Black, Collins, McCoomb, Meehan, Scott Betts (Peabody, Mass.), Ben Coleman (Williamstown, Mass.), Dan Donovan (Lynn, Mass.), Nick Malatesta (Wrentham, Mass.), Jensen Orewiler (Gardiner, Maine), Nick Petchell (Milton, Mass.), and Cejay Suarez (Abington, Mass.). With this group on the field, the Monks have posted a 113-53 (.681) overall record with a 48-6 (.889) mark in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's is off until Thursday when the Monks host a GNAC Tournament second-round contest versus either #4 Johnson & Wales University or #5 Norwich University, two teams that will face off tomorrow in a first-round, single-elimination matchup. The home playoff game will begin at 3:30 PM.
MIT hosts Wesleyan University tomorrow in a 4:00 PM start.
#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.