BEVERLY, Mass. – Sophomore pitcher Matt Bergeron (Salem, N.H.) tossed a complete-game shutout to help Saint Joseph's College (4-7) defeat Endicott College (4-5), 2-0, in a non-conference baseball contest on Tuesday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks grabbed an early lead when in the top of the first junior center fielder Hunter Richardson (Monmouth, Maine) doubled to right and later scored on a two-out two-bagger off the bat of freshman designated hitter Jonathan Dube (Rochester, N.H.).
The 1-0 lead remained until the top of the fifth, when senior first baseman Simon Gonzalez (Peabody, Mass.) singled and was lifted in favor of freshman pinch runner Zach Miles (Concord, N.H.), who scampered home when junior Justin Juliano (Lynnfield, Mass.) ripped a single to right field.
Endicott struggled to solve Bergeron all game long and had just one runner reach third base and only twice saw multiple runners reach in the same inning. The Gulls' best opportunity to score was in the bottom of the third, when senior John Duffy (Stratford, Conn.) led off with a double and moved to third on an infield single with one out, but Bergeron managed to cancel the threat with an infield pop-up and a groundout to second base.
ON THE MOUND:
Bergeron improves to 1-1 on the season after allowing six hits and a walk with five strikeouts in the dominant performance. The sophomore right-hander is the first SJC pitcher to toss a nine-inning shutout since former standout Chad Rafferty '13 hurled a complete-game gem in a 2-0 NCAA Regional Tournament victory over Bowdoin College on May 16th, 2012.
Endicott starter Cooper Anibal (Bedford, N.H.) fell to 0-2 on the year after allowing two runs off five hits with two strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Relievers Joseph Brown and Kyle Wollman combined to toss 4.1 innings of three-hit shutout ball with three strikeouts.
OFF THE BAT:
- Dube was 2-4 with a double and an RBI
- Richardson went 1-4 with a double and a run scored
- Junior right fielder Dylan Fournier (South Windsor, Conn.) was 1-4 with a double
- For Endicott, left fielder Matt Bald (De Pere, Wisc.) was 2-4 and Duffy doubled in the loss
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the win Saint Joseph's improves to 18-8 all-time versus Endicott College. The shutout victory is the first registered by either team in the series since the Monks blanked the Gulls, 3-0, in Salisbury, Maryland on March 25th, 2006.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Monks will face Hamilton for a doubleheader in Winter Haven, Florida on Sunday at 9:00 AM.
