AUBURNDALE, Fla. – St. John Fisher (2-3) held off Saint Joseph's College (0-2), 5-4, in RussMatt Central Florida Invitational baseball action on Monday morning.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Cardinals kicked off the game scoring in the bottom of the second inning when junior catcher Jake Meeker plated a pair with a double to left center. St. John Fisher secured a 3-0 advantage when junior Nick Lemire delivered a run-scoring single with two out.
Saint Joseph's finally got on the board in the top of the fourth, when the Monks scored four runs on a pair of hits to claim a one-run lead. Senior catcher Jackson Stanton (Saugus, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and trotted home when the following batter, junior first baseman Matt Thibault (Nashua, N.H.), launched a home run beyond the left center wall. Junior left fielder Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) then singled through the left side and later scored when senior shortstop Zach Miles (Concord, N.H.) reached on a fielder's choice. Freshman right fielder Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.), who was plunked with an errant fastball, later stole home as part of a first-and-third steal play to make it a 4-3 game.
St. John Fisher immediately tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, when senior second baseman Noah Campanelli walked and later scampered home on a throwing error while attempting to steal third base.
The Cardinals managed to eke across the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth, when Meeker worked a leadoff walk, stole second, and scored on a Campanelli base hit.
The Monks had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh and had the tying run on third with two out in the ninth, but St. John Fisher was able to escape the threats unscathed.
ON THE MOUND:
SJC senior starter Samuel Jalbert (Mascouche, Que.) did not factor into the decision after yielding four runs on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Freshman reliever Dylan Brander (Merrimack, N.H.) threw well but took the loss after allowing a run on two hits and a pair of walks with three punchouts in 2.1 innings of work. Senior Sean McDonough (Concord, N.H.) and junior Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) worked scoreless innings in relief.
St. John Fisher freshman starter Benjamin Huckans gave up the two-run homer to Thibault and fanned five batters in three innings. Reliever Russell Dunlap earned the victory after hurling 3.2 innings of two-hit relief with a pair of strikeouts and Ryan O'Mara was awarded with a save after setting down all three hitters he faced in the top of the ninth.
OFF THE BAT:
- Senior Jonathan Dube (Rochester, N.H.) reached base three times and was 1-3 with a pair of walks and a stolen base
- Thibault was 1-4 with a two-run homer
- Wilhelm was 1-2 with a run, a walk, and a stolen base
- For the Cardinals, right fielder Ben Lavery went 2-5 with a run scored and Meeker was 1-2 with a double, two RBI, two walks, and a stolen base
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the loss, Saint Joseph's falls to 3-5 all-time versus St. John Fisher, a team that defeated the Monks by a 9-2 score in their last meeting (3/1/20).
NEXT!
The Monks will take on their third 2022 NCAA Tournament opponent in as many days tomorrow when they face off against Immaculata University at 9:00 AM at Lake Myrtle #5.
