PHOTO CREDIT: Laurel Clace '25
STANDISH, Maine – Junior Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) belted a go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the eighth to help Plymouth State University (3-8) edge Saint Joseph's College (3-12), 12-11, in non-conference baseball action at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Monday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when sophomore center fielder Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.) launched a two-run homer over the scoreboard in left field and freshman starter Josh Wieners (Duxbury, Mass.) did not allow a hit until the top of the fourth when the Panthers led off with a single.
The fourth inning turned out to be a disaster for the hosts, as the visitors plated seven runs – all unearned – on four hits, a pair of free passes, and two costly infield errors to claim a 7-2 advantage.
Saint Joseph's got one run back when freshman Vinny O'Leary (North Quincy, Mass.) greeted Plymouth State reliever Ryan Williams (Merrimack, N.H.) with a solo home run to left. In the top of the seventh, Plymouth State tacked on two more unearned runs with the help of another SJC miscue to stake a 9-3 cushion.
The Monks' bats came to life in the bottom of the seventh when the hosts knocked in seven runs on five hits and a PSU error. Freshman pinch hitter Matt Elwell (Wakefield, Mass.) roped a two-run single and Alex Moore (Henniker, N.H.) and Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.) boasted run-scoring doubles to help St. Joe's claim a 10-9 edge through seven frames.
In the eighth inning, Malgeri's blast gave the Panthers a 12-10 lead before sophomore Dylan Brander (Merrimack, N.H.) singled and later scored on an infield error to make it a 12-11 game. The Monks had the tying run on third base with two out but were unable to produce the tying hit.
ON THE MOUND:
- Wieners allowed seven unearned runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings
- Brander gave up two unearned runs on four hits and a walk with five K's in 3.2 innings
- Sophomore Brendan McCaffrey (Warwick, R.I.) took the loss after allowing two runs
- Junior Hugh Barrett (Durham, Conn.) yielded a run with a strikeout in one inning of work and senior Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) struck out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning
- For Plymouth State, freshman reliever Greg Mayo (Boston, Mass.) earned the win after allowing an unearned run on two hits with a pair of K's in 2.1 innings
OFF THE BAT:
- Wearne was 3-6 with two doubles, two runs, and an RBI
- Senior Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) was 3-5
- O'Leary went 2-6 with two runs, a home run, and two RBI
- Moore added two hits, including a double, with a run, an RBI, and a stolen base in four at-bats
- Wilhelm was 1-4 with two runs and a two-run homer
- For Plymouth State, Owen Baum (Saint Michaels, Md.) was 3-3 with a double and an RBI, Adrian Siravo (Gilmanton, N.H.) went 2-5 with a run and two RBI, Malgeri was 1-3 with two runs, a homer, and three RBI, and Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) was 2-4 with two runs scored
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the loss, Saint Joseph's falls to 22-15 in the history of the series with Plymouth State University, a team the Monks had defeated in four-consecutive meetings prior to today's contest.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will host conference-rival Dean College tomorrow at 4:00 PM.
