AUBURNDALE, FL – Saint Joseph’s split a doubleheader with Loras College (IA), falling 3-2 in the opener and winning the closing game, 12-6, on Wednesday afternoon. Eric LaBatte ’11 (Rochester, NH) was 4-5 with two runs, a double and four RBI in the twinbill and reliever Andrew Keirstead ’10 (Westbrook, ME) picked up the victory with three innings of three-hit ball in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
The first game turned out to be an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel. SJC starter Sam Murray ’12 (Walpole, MA) certainly pitched well enough to earn the victory, but the Monks lineup mustered just five hits off Loras hurler Austin Safranski ’12 (Carol Stream, IL), who fanned five with a walk and three hit batsmen in 6 1/3 innings. Murray also fanned five and scattered eight hits in a complete-game effort.
Loras managed to score with two outs in the top of the first, as the Duhawks #3 hitter, Ben Kuebel ’10 (Fulton, IL) reached after being plunked by a Murray heater, stole second and scored on a Calvin Rea ’11 (Cascade, IL) single to center.
The Monks knotted the game at one apiece in the bottom of the second, with Pat Moran ’10 (Winterport, ME), who reached after getting hit by a Safranski offering, scoring the tying run on a Mike Burdin ’10 (Gardiner, ME) groundout to short.
Three scoreless frames followed, as the pair of unfamiliar foes combined for five total hits during the blackout. With two outs and two strikes, Duhawks first baseman BJ Juergens ’12 (Dubuque, IA) came up with a two-run looping double down the left field line, which proved to be the game-winning hit.
Saint Joseph’s sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and scored a run off a sac fly to right off the bat of Ian Lee ’11 (Hampden, ME), but the rally effort fell short as Moran lined out to right field with the bases loaded to end the game.
For Loras, catcher John Schroeder ’10 (Lena, IL), who went 2-3 with a run scored, was the only player for either team to record multiple hits. Duhawks reliever Kyler Laurie ’11 (Elgin, IL) notched his first save of the 2010 season with 2/3 inning of work in the seventh.
Ben Grant-Roy ’10 (Biddeford, ME) tied the program’s all-time hit-by-pitch mark when he was plunked for the 22nd time in his career in the first inning by a Safranski errant pitch.
GAME TWO
The closing contest appeared to be headed in a similar direction, as the starting pitchers kept the opponents’ bats in check in the early going. The Duhawks got on the board first with two runs off five hits in the second, but Monks’ starter Mason Roberge ’11 (Franklin, NH) settled in with scoreless, and hitless, third and fourth frames.
The Monks’ lineup finally returned to form in the fourth inning, as the Royal Blue scored five runs off three hits, three hit batsmen and a Loras error. With runners on first and second and one out, Grant-Roy broke the seal with an RBI double to send Chris Campbell ’11 (Rochester, NH) scrambling across the plate. Todd Keneborus ’11 (Hollis Center, ME/Cheverus), Craig Woodbrey ’10 (Gorham, ME) and LaBatte also notched RBI’s and Grant-Roy scored on a wild pitch during the frame, which ended with the Monks holding a 5-2 cushion.
The three-run lead stood until the bottom of the fifth, when the Duhawks scored four runs off two hits and an SJC miscue to secure a 6-5 edge and chase Roberge from the game. Schroeder came up with a two-run single and later scored on a fielder’s choice and Kuebel plated a run to cap the scoring.
St. Joe’s put the game away with a five-run sixth that included an extremely unfortunate, and seldom seen, play. SJC third baseman Mike Pratt ’13 (Dartmouth, MA) walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a perfectly executed slash play by catcher Travis Adams ’10 (Saco, ME), who pulled back a bunt bid and slapped the ball to left. Woodbrey reached when his sacrifice bunt attempt was misplayed by Loras reliever Zack Schwartz ’12 (Vernon Hills, IL) to load the bases for LaBatte, who sent a one-strike pitch screaming back up the middle off Schwartz’s knee. The ball ricocheted all the way to the Monks’ on deck area, allowing all three SJC runners to score and LaBatte to advance to third base while Schwartz, who left the field with assistance after the play ceased, lay on the ground. Spencer Radabaugh ’11 (Dyersville, IA) replaced the injured hurler and allowed a two-run single to Lee before recording the final two outs of the inning.
The Monks went on to add a pair of insurance runs on three hits in the top of the seventh to cap the game scoring. Woodbrey scored on a first-and-third double steal with LaBatte, who was driven home by a Campbell single to right field.
For St. Joe’s, LaBatte went 3-3 with two runs and four RBI and Campbell was 2-4 with two runs and an RBI. Kyle Neagle ’12 (Lisbon Falls, ME) swiped his first collegiate bag as a pinch runner in the sixth.
Saint Joseph’s will play Wentworth Institute on Thursday in a nine inning game slated to begin at 9:00 AM.
