NEW JERSEY CITY, NJ - St. Joe's scored three runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 3-2 victory over New Jersey City University (7-10-1) in the opening game of a doubleheader and held on to defeat the Gothic Knights in the nightcap, 9-8, to improve to 5-4 on the season. Game one starter Pat Moran ‘10 (Winterport, ME), now 2-0 on the year, fanned a career-high 12 batters and Eric LaBatte ‘11 (Rochester, NH) provided the big hit, a bases-loaded single in the ninth to plate two runs. In game two, Andrew Keirstead ‘10 (Westbrook, ME) allowed three runs in six innings to improve to 1-1, while shortstop Danny Achorn ‘12 (Bow, NH) was 2-2 with three RBI's and Travis Adams ‘10 (Saco, ME) sent home three runs with a bases-loaded double in the fourth frame.

Game one was a pitcher's duel, as neither team managed to get on the board against Moran and NJCU starter Stephen Montalbano ‘10 (North Brunswick, NJ) until the Gothic Knights scored two runs in the sixth inning. Montalbano had allowed just one baserunner, Adams walked with one out in the third, and saw his no-hitter bid denied by an Adams base knock in the sixth.

The Monks threatened to put something together in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Montalbano was bailed out by double play balls in both frames, successfully terminating the opportunities.

The Royal Blue rally came after two outs were recorded in the top of the ninth. Wade Oliver '09 (Owls Head, ME), who walked with one out and advanced to second on a Chris Campbell '11 (Rochester, NH) groundout, scored on a single up the middle by Ian Lee '11 (Hampden, ME). Ben Grant-Roy '10 (Biddeford, ME) and Todd Keneborus '11 (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus) both walked to load the bases for LaBatte, who lined a single up the middle off reliever Joseph Tarallo '10 (Carteret, NJ) to score Grant-Roy and Steve Gorsun '09 (South Berwick, ME), pinch running for Keneborus, and give the Monks their first lead of the day.

The Gothic Knights made things interesting in the ninth for Moran, who was determined to finish what he started. NJCU designated hitter Alex Mena '10 (North Bergen, NJ) led off the inning with a double over LaBatte's head in right field. With one out, catcher Kristopher Brus '09 (Parlin, NJ) reached on an infield error and both runners advanced a base on a groundball to first off the bat of Jeff Karczewski '11 (Hamilton, NJ), on which Grant-Roy made a spectacular diving stab to record the force and the second out. Jorge Pardo '09 (West New York, NJ) worked a walk to load the bases, but Moran got out of the jam when leadoff hitter Rob Gonzalez '12 (Brick, NJ) lined out to SJC left fielder Craig Woodbrey '10 (Gorham, ME).

Adams played a complete game for St. Joe's in the opener. Besides reaching base twice with a walk and a single, the junior backstop threw out both NJCU baserunners attempting to steal in the game. The SJC catching corps, with the help of mindful pitchers, has allowed opponents to steal just six bases in 15 attempts (60% CS rate) through 11 games.

New Jersey City struck first in the nightcap by scoring a run in the bottom of the second off Keirstead. NJCU shortstop Tom Burke '09 (Edison, NJ) got hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and later scored on a single by Brus to give the Gothic Knights a 1-0 edge.

Adams led off the top of the third with a walk, was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by left fielder Pat Hamilton '12 (Plaistow, NH), and moved to third as part of a double steal with Achorn, who reached via base on balls, before scoring on an Oliver groundout to short, knotting the game at one apiece.

In the top of the fourth, the Monks used four hits to score four runs and secure a 5-1 lead. Adams doubled; driving a two-strike fastball to left field to notch a trifecta of RBI's and Achorn singled up the middle the send the junior scrambling home in the big inning.

Keirstead allowed just three hits through four, but wound up in a spot of trouble in the fifth frame. Gothic Knights first baseman Joe Steinberger '12 (San Diego, CA) led off the inning with a triple to left center and Brus recorded his second RBI of the game by sending him across the plate with a single. With one out, Pardo doubled to right and Keirstead was replaced on the hill by lefty Chris Dion '11 (Lawrence, MA). Gonzalez grounded out to short, scoring Brus to make the score 5-3, and Chris Nanof '10 (Clinton, MA) relieved Dion to face Mark Hoyer '09 (Irvine, CA), who hit a foul pop to the right side that was snagged by Grant-Roy as he crashed into the fence.

St. Joe's plated four more runs in the sixth to gain a comfortable 9-3 lead. Two runs scored when Achorn singled up the middle with the bases juiced, while an Oliver single and a Campbell squeeze bunt accounted for the final two scores of the inning.

The SJC advantage dwindled quickly in the seventh, however. The bases were loaded with Gothic Knights after an infield hit, an error and a walk, all coming with reliever Curtis Orlik '12 (Brimfield, MA) on the mound. The freshman righty fanned Pardo to record the first out before walking in a run and allowing a Hoyer double, which plated a pair. With the score now 9-6 and runners on second and third, Monks skipper Will Sanborn '86 went to the pen for Mason Roberge '11 (Franklin, NH), who was about to make his second-career relief appearance. The first batter he faced, Michael Fiorentino '11 (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ), laced a ball to the right side to score a run, but Grant-Roy dove to his right to snare the ball and flipped it to Roberge at the bag to record the out. The next batter, Burke, fisted a ball up the middle for a single to make it a one-run game, 9-8, but Roberge got Mena to pop out to center, with the game-tying run 90 feet away, to end the contest and give the Monks a sweep.

Grant-Roy lined a double down the left field line in the fourth inning of the second game, making him the 30th player in program history to smack 100 career hits.

Saint Joseph's will close out the trip with a nine-inning tilt against New Jersey City on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 11:00 AM.