WASHINGTON, DC - St. Joe's fell 7-6 in 8 innings in game one and defeated the Cardinals 7-4 in game two. JR Wade Oliver (Owls Head, ME) had four hits in the doubleheader and SR Dustin Spiller (Gorham, ME) and SR Luke Enman (Milan, NH) each connected for home runs in the two game set. Freshman pitcher Mason Roberge (Franklin, NH) notched his first collegiate victory in the game two.
GAME
ONE
The Monks offense was jumpstarted in the opening game with a
leadoff triple from Wade Oliver, who went on to score on a
sacrifice fly off the bat of SR Brian
Schools (Gorham, ME) to provide St. Joe's with an
early 1-0 lead. The Cardinals countered in the first with a run of
their own to tie the game, 1-1, after an error by the third baseman
Schools.
St. Joe's went up 2-1 in the top of the second inning when FY
Eric LaBatte (Rochester, NH)
drove home SO Pat Moran
(Winterport, ME), who singled to reach base, by way of a sac fly.
The Catholic offense scored two runs off of Monks starter SO
Kyle Dorr (Berwick, ME), both
unearned, to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning.
After a scoreless third inning, the Monks offense managed to put
three runs on the board to capture a 5-3 advantage. SO Ben
Grant-Roy (Biddeford, ME), SR Dustin
Spiller (Gorham, ME) and Pat
Moran accounted for the runs and FY
Ian Lee (Hampden, ME), with a
bases loaded walk, and SO Nick
Johnson (Yuma, AZ), with a two-out single,
registered RBI's in the inning.
Luke Enman blasted a solo home
run, his second of the season, over the right field fence to lead
off the fifth inning and give the Royal Blue a 6-3 lead.
The Cardinals fought back in the bottom of the fifth to produce
three runs off of four hits and tie the game at six apiece. The big
hit of the inning was a two-run home run off the bat of Catholic
third baseman Joe Devine.
Monks centerfielder Dustin
Spiller made a spectacular catch for the first out
in the bottom of the sixth. Catholic shortstop Joe Maca hit a ball
deep to center over Spiller's head,
Spiller turned his back, sprinted towards the
fence and with his back towards the infield dove to make the
highlight reel catch.
The Catholic bullpen provided a solid effort as they allowed only
two SJC baserunners in the final three innings of play. The
Cardinals plated a run in the bottom of the 8th when designated
hitter Robbie O'Brien drove home pinch runner Jeff D'Annuzio for
the victory.
Starting pitcher Kyle Dorr threw
four innings, scattered 5 hits, struck out two, allowed one walk
and no earned runs in his third start of the season. FY
Chris Dion (Lawrence, MA) pitched
a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in relief. SJC closer
Brian Schools takes the loss and
falls to 0-2.
GAME TWO
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the second game
of the twinbill with four hits and three runs in the first inning
off Monks' starter Mason Roberge.
St. Joe's shot back with two runs in the top of the third with RBI
singles from Wade Oliver and
Nick Johnson. FY
Ryan Murphy (South Weymouth, MA)
and SO Travis Adams (Saco, ME)
scored the SJC runs to cut the CU lead to 3-2.
Monks shortstop Luke Enman led
off the bottom of the third with a single and later scored when SO
Ricky Sarmento (Lowell, MA) sent
him home with a two-out single to tie the game, 3-3.
The Monks took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth when
Dustin Spiller hit a towering
two-run home run. The Cardinals chipped away at the SJC lead with a
run in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 5-4.
The Monks added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh when
SJC first baseman Ryan Murphy hit
a seeing-eye single through the right side of the infield to send
home leftfielder Pat Moran and
pinch runner JR Stephan Gorsun
(South Berwick, ME). St. Joe's closer Brian
Schools pitched a scoreless seventh to preserve
the 7-4 victory and earn his second save of the season.
After a rough start, SJC hurler Mason
Roberge settled in and threw four scoreless
innings before allowing a Catholic run in the bottom of the sixth.
Overall, Roberge allowed 3 earned runs, 8 hits, 1 walk and struck
out 3 in 5 2/3 innings.
For the Monks, Wade Oliver was
2-4 with an RBI, Luke Enman 2-3
with 2 runs, Dustin Spiller
registered 2 RBI's and Ryan
Murphy was 2-3 with a run and 2 RBI's in the win.