PHOTO CREDIT: Laurel Clace '25
NEW LONDON, Conn. – Grad Matthew Bergeron (Salem, N.H.) tossed a complete-game gem to help #8 Saint Joseph's College (14-24) stave off elimination with a 6-1 victory over #5 Anna Maria College (16-24) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Tournament Pod A action on Saturday morning.
With the win, Saint Joseph's stays alive in the GNAC tourney and will take on #4 Colby-Sawyer College in the final elimination game this afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks grabbed a 2-0 lead with two runs on one hit and an Anna Maria error in the top of the second, when senior Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) led off with a walk and later scored on an infield miscue and sophomore Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.) roped an RBI single to left field.
The 2-0 lead remained until the sixth when Saint Joseph's plated four runs on five hits and another AMCAT error, all with two out. Senior first baseman Matt Thibault (Nashua, N.H.) launched a solo homer to left-center to make it a 3-0 game before Wilhelm posted an RBI double and scored on a single off the bat of junior Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.), who eventually came around to score on a Vinny O'Leary (North Quincy, Mass.) base hit.
Anna Maria managed to get on the board with a run in the bottom of the eighth when grad Kosta Drosidas led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and sprinted home on a Jarrod Marifiote single up the middle.
ON THE MOUND:
Making the final collegiate pitching appearance of his career, Bergeron went the distance while allowing a run on 10 hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. For his career, Bergeron appeared in 57 games with 44 starts and posted a 24-16 record and a 3.85 ERA with 177 strikeouts – against just 49 walks – in 266.1 innings pitched. He leaves the program as the Monks' career leader in innings and ranks second in victories, third in fewest walks per nine innings (1.65), fourth in appearances, and eighth in strikeouts.
Anna Maria starter Nick Choate took the loss after yielding six runs (four earned) on six hits and five walks with eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
OFF THE BAT:
For the Monks, Wilhelm was 2-4 with a run, a double, a stolen base, and two RBI and Wearne went 2-4 with a run, two stolen bases, and an RBI.
For the AMCATS, Josh Batchelder was 3-3 while Marifiote and Andrew Denison posted two hits apiece.
