PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREL CLACE '25
STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (4-9, 2-0 GNAC) kicked off Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play with a pair of victories over Norwich University (5-10, 0-2 GNAC) at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Monday afternoon. St. Joe's defeated the Cadets by a 6-3 score in the Monks' 2023 home opener and completed the sweep with a 6-4 triumph in the nightcap.
In a new wrinkle implemented this spring, GNAC Baseball doubleheaders will have a different look, as all conference twin bills will feature an opening seven-inning game to be followed by a nine-inning contest, with several caveats. If the first game goes into extra innings, the nightcap becomes a seven-inning contest. Game two will have a 10-run mercy rule after seven innings (if it's a nine-inning contest).
GAME ONE – SAINT JOSEPH'S 6, NORWICH 3:
In the bottom of the first, the Saint Joseph's offense exploded with five runs on four hits and a pair of Norwich errors as junior Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) roped a two-run double to deep center, senior Jackson Stanton (Saugus, Mass.) notched an RBI ground out, and junior Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) delivered an RBI single to give the hosts a larger early lead.
With freshman starter Ethan Smith (Hudson Oaks, Texas) dealing, the 5-0 advantage remained until Norwich put up three runs with two out in the top of the fifth, when senior third baseman Ryland Richardson (Windsor, Vt.) followed a pair of Cadet singles with a three-run homer to left field.
The Monks tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when freshman center fielder Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.) singled and later scored on a passed ball to account for the 6-3 final.
ON THE MOUND:
Smith notched his first NCAA victory after allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts over six innings and sophomore Jason Johnson (Thomaston, Conn.) picked up his first career save with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
Norwich sophomore starter Ryan Miller (Westhampton, N.Y.) threw well but suffered the loss and falls to 2-1 on the season after allowing six runs (three earned) off seven hits and two walks with seven K's over six frames.
OFF THE BAT:
- Stephens went 2-3 with a run, a double, and two RBI
- Wilhelm was 2-3 with two runs scored
- For Norwich, Richardson was 1-4 with a three-run homer
GAME TWO – SAINT JOSEPH'S 6, NORWICH 4:
The Monks used a similar formula in the closing contest, as the hosts put up a crooked number in the bottom of the first and employed solid pitching to earn another victory.
With one out in the first, Saint Joseph's notched three consecutive singles, a string capped by a Stephens RBI hit, and junior first baseman Matt Thibault (Nashua, N.H.) later plated a pair with a single to center to give the Monks a 3-0 lead.
St. Joe's added another run in the bottom of the third when freshman second baseman Jack Moltenbrey (East Longmeadow, Mass.) led off with a walk and later scored on another Stephens base hit.
SJC starting pitcher Samuel Jalbert (Mascouche, Que.) held the Cadets hitless through 5.2 innings, but lost his bid for a no-hitter with two out in the sixth, when sophomore Jakob Hayes (Arlington, Texas) blooped an RBI hustle-double to right field.
Saint Joseph's regained the four-run cushion in the bottom of the sixth when freshman left fielder Terry Morrissey (Andover, Mass.) doubled and scored two batters later on a Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.) two-bagger down the left field line.
Wilhelm led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, moved to second on a Moltenbrey sac bunt, stole third, and scored on an infield error to make it a 6-1 game.
The Cadets threatened late with two runs off a pair of hits and an SJC error in the eighth and Richardson drove home a run with a single in the ninth to cut the Monks' advantage to 6-4 with one out. Norwich had runners on second and third with two out, but SJC senior shortstop Zach Miles (Concord, N.H.) made a nice grab on a shallow fly to left off Miller's bat to close out the game.
ON THE MOUND:
Jalbert allowed one run off one hit and two walks with a career-high 11 strikeouts to improve to 1-1 on the season while relievers Hugh Barrett (Durham, Conn.), Padraig Mac Seain (Brookline, N.H.), Sean McDonough (Concord, N.H.), and Stephens combined to yield three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with four K's over three innings. Stephens earned his third save of the season after getting the final two outs.
For Norwich, sophomore starter Jordan Talbot (Belchertown, Mass.) took the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) off six hits and two walks with five punchouts over four frames. Nathan Abbott (Freeport, Maine), Nick Beavin (Montpelier, Vt.), and Will Fowler (Morrisville, Vt.) combined to work four effective innings in relief.
OFF THE BAT:
- Stephens was 2-4 with a run and two RBI
- Moltenbrey went 2-2 with a pair of runs scored
- Thibault added a single and two RBI in four at-bats
- For the Cadets, Miller went 1-3 with a double and two runs scored
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the sweep Saint Joseph's improves to 27-1 all-time versus Norwich University and has now defeated the Cadets in six-consecutive meetings dating back to the 2018 campaign.
NEXT!
The Monks are back in action tomorrow when they host Plymouth State University in a non-conference contest set to start at 4:00 PM.
