STANDISH, ME - Saint Joseph's improved to 18-9 overall and 9-1
in GNAC play with a sweep over Norwich University (0-20-1, 0-10) on
Saturday afternoon. Game one starter Pat
Moran '10 (Winterport, ME), now 5-0 on the year,
went the distance, allowing two runs on three hits with no walks
and a dozen strikeouts. The junior also belted a three-run home run
in the nightcap to help southpaw Andrew
Keirstead '10 (Westbrook, ME), who allowed three
hits and one run with four K's over six innings, improve to 4-1 on
the year. Eric LaBatte '11
(Rochester, NH) and Mike Burdin
'10 (Gardiner, ME) also connected for taters in the closing 7-1
triumph.
GAME ONE -
All the scoring in the opener took place in the sixth inning, with
the Cadets getting on the board first. The only Norwich runner to
reach base in the first 5 2/3 innings was Pawluk '09 (Hudson, NY),
who was plunked by a Moran pitch in the first
inning. The no-hitter bid came to a close with two out in the sixth
when David Maxfield '12 (Randolph, VT) poked a 1-2 offering to
shallow left center. Maxfield advanced to third after Travis Dyke
'11 (Lewiston, ME) dropped a double down the right field line and
scored on a Moran wild pitch, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Monks batsmen made solid contact off Norwich starter Austin
Shaw '11 (Yarmouth, ME) throughout the game, but only had two hits
to show for their efforts through five innings.
The hits fell for St. Joe's in the bottom of the sixth, however, as
the Royal Blue strung together four hits and scored three runs to
take a 3-1 advantage. Ian Lee '11
(Hampden, ME) opened the half-inning with a single to left and was
removed in favor of pinch runner Steve
Gorsun '09 (South Berwick, ME).
Ben Grant-Roy '10 (Biddeford, ME)
followed with a single and both runners moved up a base when
LaBatte hit a fly to right. Gorsun scored the
first SJC run of the day on a Todd
Keneborus '11 (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus) squeeze
bunt to tie the game, 1-1. Keneborus, who advanced
to second on the play at the plate, scrambled home when
Travis Adams '10 (Saco, ME)
singled to right field and Adams, after stealing
second base, scored on a Burdin base knock to give
the Monks a 3-1 cushion.
The run plated by Burdin's base hit proved to be
critical, as Cadets catcher Rob Knox '10 (Conway, NH) greeted
Moran with a solo home run to lead off the top of
the seventh and make it a one-run game. Moran went
on to close out the game with a ground out and a pair of punch
outs.
Shaw (0-2) allowed two earned runs off six SJC hits with two walks
and two strikeouts in the losing effort.
GAME TWO -
In the nightcap, Saint Joseph's used the long ball to score six of
the team's seven runs en route to earning a 7-1 triumph and a sweep
over the Cadets. Norwich starter Corey Shearer '12 (Montague, MA)
issued walks to Grant-Roy and
LaBatte to begin the bottom of the second and paid
dearly when the next hitter, Moran, sent a 3-2
offering over the wall in left-center, lifting the hosts to an
early 3-0 lead. The long ball was Moran's fourth
of the year.
LaBatte sent Shearer's first pitch of the fourth
frame sailing over the left field wall for his third home run of
the year and Burdin belted his second deep fly of
the season, a two-run blast with two out, to put the Monks up 6-0.
Wade Oliver '09 (Owls Head, ME)
followed with a walk and scored on a Chris
Campbell '11 (Rochester, NH) single to conclude
the SJC scoring.
Keirstead's shutout bid came to a close in the top
of the sixth when Maxfield scored on a Pawluk single. The junior
southpaw tossed 72 pitches, 54 for strikes, in six innings.
Keirstead now has a 14-6 career record and is tied
with Rick Gouin '88 with the 11th most wins in
program history.
Andrew Pooler '09 (Southwest
Harbor, ME) worked a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts to close
out the contest.
Campbell went 2-3 with an RBI and had three hits
on the day overall. LaBatte and
Moran both scored two runs in the nightcap
victory.
Saint Joseph's will travel to Waterville, ME on Monday to take on
Colby College in a nine inning game slated to begin at 4:00 PM.
