LAKE MYRTLE, Fla. – Saint Joseph's College (1-2) squandered a 7-0 lead and suffered a 13-7 setback at the hands of University of Mount Union (4-4) after the Tigers scored 13 unanswered runs at the Lake Myrtle Complex in RussMatt Central Florida Invitational action on Monday morning.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks exploded for seven runs off three hits – including a grand slam off the bat of junior catcher Jonathan Dube (Rochester, N.H.) and a solo blast from freshman center fielder Peter O'Brien (Scarborough, Maine) – in the top of the first. Sophomore first baseman Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) also notched a two-run double to lift the Royal Blue to an early advantage.
Senior starting pitcher Matthew Bergeron (Salem, N.H.) allowed just one hit through the first three innings but hit a rough patch in the fourth when the Raiders scored twice off two hits in the fourth. The wheels came off in the fifth however, as Mount Union chased Bergeron by plating five runs on six hits to claim an 8-7 lead.
The Tigers tacked on two runs on four hits in the sixth, added two with the help of an SJC error in the eighth, and capped the scoring with a run off two hits in the ninth.
After posting three hits in the first inning, the Monks mustered just one hit – a Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.) single in the fifth – and Mount Union sophomore reliever Chuck Hawley (Mentor, Ohio) finished the game by retiring 14-consecutive batters, including five by way of strikeout.
ON THE MOUND:
- Bergeron suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on nine hits with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings
- Relievers Matthew Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.), Matt Thibeault (Nashua, N.H.), Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.) and Sean McDonough (Concord, N.H.) combined to allow five runs off eight hits with six K's in the closing 4.1 frames
- After starter Thomas Yuras lasted just 1/3 inning, Hawley sparkled in relief with two runs allowed off three hits while fanning 11 batters in the final 8.2 innings
OFF THE BAT:
- Dube was 1-for-3 with a grand slam
- O'Brien belted his first career home run
- Stephens was 1-for-4 with a two-run double
- For Mount Union, Walker Marlowe went 4-for-6 with two doubles and three runs and Nate Duliba was 3-for-6 with a run and an RBI
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's looks to get back into the win column tomorrow when they face Penn State – Abington in a nine-inning game starting at 9:30 AM.
