WORCESTER, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College (1-1) kicked off the 2020 season by splitting a non-conference doubleheader with Clark University (1-2) on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars dealt the Monks a 6-1 setback in the opener and St. Joe's salvaged the split with a 3-2 triumph in the nightcap.
GAME ONE – CLARK 6, SAINT JOSEPH'S 1:
Clark held a 2-0 lead going into the top of the fourth when the hosts put the game out of reach with a trio of solo home runs, as James Huber, Collin Porter, and Nick Jordan launched long balls over the center field wall to make it a 5-0 game through four frames.
The Monks answered with a run in the top of the fifth when senior first baseman Simon Gonzalez (Peabody, Mass.) doubled off the left-center wall and later scored on a two-bagger off the bat of junior shortstop Justin Juliano (Lynnfield, Mass.) to cut the SJC deficit to four runs. The Cougars managed to get the run back in the bottom of the fifth when Huber walked and eventually scampered home on a passed ball.
ON THE MOUND:
- Senior starter Luke Klenda (Yarmouth, Maine) took the loss after allowing two runs off four hits with a strikeout over three innings
- Sophomore Johnathan Flynn (Holden, Mass.) yielded the three solo taters and walked a pair with a punch-out in 2/3 inning of work
- Senior Weston Bergeron (Lyman, Maine) struck out three and walked three while allowing an unearned run in 1.1 innings of relief
- Freshman southpaw Colin Jackson (Brentwood, N.H.) made his college debut on the hill and struck out one batter in a perfect inning of relief
- For Clark, starter Jafar Vohra picked up the win after allowing a run off four hits and two walks with four K's in 4.2 innings while Alex Macek and Benjamin Spencer combined to work 2.1 innings of scoreless relief
OFF THE BAT:
- Gonzalez, Juliano, senior second baseman Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.), and junior catcher Matthew Martinello (Woodbridge, Conn.) all doubled in the setback
- Senior left fielder Ben Gravel (Rochester, N.H.) and junior right fielder Dylan Fournier (South Windsor, Conn.) both singled in the opener
- For the Cougars, Huber was 2-2 with a triple, a home run, three runs, and an RBI and Porter went 2-2 with a solo blast
GAME TWO: SAINT JOSEPH'S 3, CLARK 2:
All of the game scoring took place in the first two innings in the closing contest. The Monks grabbed an early lead when Healey and freshman catcher Jonathan Dube (Rochester, N.H.) roped back-to-back doubles in the top of the first, but the Cougars answered in the bottom of the opening frame with two runs on one swing as left fielder Chris Radovic launched a two-run homer beyond the left-center wall to lift his team to a 2-1 edge.
As it played out, St. Joe's took the lead for good in the top of the second when Juliano and freshman third baseman Jacob McGill (Derry, N.H.) singled and later scored on a triple off the bat of first-year shortstop Zach Miles (Concord, N.H.).
The Cougars had a prime opportunity to at least tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, as the hosts had the bases loaded with two out, but junior reliever Jonathan Marchia (Chicopee, Mass.) worked out of a full count by striking out Huber swinging.
ON THE MOUND:
- Freshman starter Sam Jalbert (Mascouche, Que.) earned his first career victory after allowing two runs off two hits and a pair of walks with three K's over three innings
- Sophomore Matt Poff (Pelham, N.H.) worked three scoreless innings of relief while scattering four hits and striking out three
- Marchia collected his first save of the season after working through two hits and a hit batsman with three strikeouts in the seventh inning
- For Clark, starter Sean Savage was hit with the loss after giving up three runs off five hits and a pair of walks with four K's over four frames and Max Moss tossed three scoreless innings in relief with two walks and a pair of punch-outs
OFF THE BAT:
- Miles posted a two-run triple while Healey and Dube both doubled in the victory
- Juliano and McGill added singles
- For Clark, Radovic was 2-2 with a double, a home run, and two RBI and Jordan and Trevor Ham both went 2-3 in the loss
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the split Saint Joseph's is now 7-2 all-time versus Clark University. The season-opening setback snapped the Monks' six-game winning streak against the Cougars.
NEXT!
The Monks open up an eight-game slate in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational next Sunday with a doubleheader versus St. John Fisher starting at 3:30 PM. All of the Monks' games during their Spring Break trip can be watched live at www.livebarn.com.
