WEST HAVEN, CT – Saint Joseph's College (20-9, 10-2 GNAC) swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball twinbill with a pair of 3-1 victories over Albertus Magnus College (9-15, 5-7 GNAC) on Monday afternoon.
As has been the case for the majority of the season, the Monks employed outstanding pitching performances to procure the sweep over the Falcons and collect their sixth-consecutive victory. Junior Joe Gruntkosky (Peabody, Mass.) set the bar in the opener, allowing an unearned run off six hits and a walk with a career-high 11 strikeouts in a complete game to improve to 4-1 on the season. Game-two starter Nick Whittaker (Yarmouth, Maine) put up equally-impressive numbers in the nightcap, as the junior righthander allowed one run off two hits and a walk and tied a career-best with 10 K's over seven frames to up his record to 4-2 on the year.
GAME ONE
In the third inning, an RBI double by freshman shortstop Zack Graham (Marlborough, Mass.) put the Monks on the board before Saint Joseph's plated a run in the sixth on three hits, including an RBI single by senior second baseman Brandon Chase (Naples, Maine).
In the top of the seventh, two Falcon errors allowed the Monks to get a player in scoring position before they scored their third run of the contest.
Albertus ruined the Monks' chance for a shutout as freshman Tyler Graziano (Trumbull, Conn.) scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh. The Falcons' rally was cut shut short as a called strike three ended the game.
Albertus starter Mike Barillaro (Meriden, Conn.) earned the loss to fall to 1-3 on the year. The sophomore allowed six hits and two earned runs in a complete seven innings of work.
Neither team featured a repeat-hitter in the opener.
GAME TWO
Saint Joseph's scored the first run of the closing contest in the top of the third as Taylor Reuillard (Biddeford, Maine) scored on a passed ball. The Falcons answered with a run in the bottom of the frame when Patrick Dornfried (Berlin, Conn.) plated Justin Poirier (Meriden, Conn.) from second base with an RBI single to right center.
Falcon starter Ryan Fowler (Cheshire, Conn.) threw four innings of work in the no-decision. He allowed four hits and two walks along with one run, which was unearned. Mike Hughes (Norwalk, Conn.) picked up the loss as he fell to 1-2 on the year after giving up one run on three hits in 1.1 innings.
Freshman Tyler Donnan (Meriden, Conn.) closed out the game for the Falcons as the Monks scored their insurance run in the top of the seventh on an Albertus infield miscue.
Chase and senior Sam Butts (Saco, Maine) both had two hits for the Monks and sophomore Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) added an RBI in the triumph.
Albertus was led by Dornfried, who registered both of the Falcons' hits in the ballgame.
With the sweep, Saint Joseph's improves to 14-1 in the history of the series with Albertus Magnus College. The Monks have now defeated the Falcons in 12 consecutive meetings dating back to the 2008 season.
Saint Joseph's returns to action on Wednesday when the team travels to Colby College for a nine-inning contest slated to start at 4:00 PM.
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS PROVIDED BY ALBERTUS MAGNUS COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 350-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
