Saint Joseph's College (22-11, 13-1 GNAC) swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader with Dean College on Saturday afternoon. The Monks toppled the Bulldogs, 16-3, in the opener and blanked the hosts in the nightcap, 7-0, to complete the sweep.
GAME ONE:
The Monks put the game out of reach with eight runs on six hits and a Dean error in the top of the first inning. Senior third baseman Ronan Chisholm (North Chatham, Mass.) and sophomore designated hitter Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) knocked in two runs apiece while junior catcher Jonathan Dube (Rochester, N.H.), freshman Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.) and grad left fielder Ben Gravel (Rochester, N.H.) added an RBI apiece in the fast start inning.
The Bulldogs scored single runs in the first and second innings and the Monks countered with a run in the fourth and four more in the fifth when grad Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.) belted a three-run double to make it a 13-2 game.
Freshman Alex Moore (Henniker, N.H.), sophomore Morgen Doughty (Smithfield, R.I.) and junior Jackson Stanton (Saugus, Mass.) added run-scoring singles in the top of the sixth and the Bulldogs scored another run in the bottom of the frame to account for the 16-3 final.
ON THE MOUND:
- SJC junior starter Samuel Jalbert (Mascouche, Que.) improved to 3-2 on the season after allowing two runs on five hits and three walks with eight strikeouts over five innings; freshman Matthew Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.) tossed two innings, allowing a run on two hits with a strikeout
- Dean starter Tyler Fleet was hit with the loss after getting just one out in the first inning, as the lefthander yielded eight runs (six earned) on five hits and a walk in 1/3 inning; Ethan Bernardo, Brady Coppa and Danny Goyette finished out the game for the Bulldogs
OFF THE BAT:
- Healey was 3-for-4 with a double, a run, and three RBI
- Chisholm went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI
- Gundlah was 2-for-4 with a run, a triple, and two RBI
- Wearne went 2-for-3 with a run, a double, and an RBI
- Sophomore shortstop Zach Miles (Concord, N.H.) added two hits and two runs in three at-bats
- Sophomore Matt Thibeault (Nashua, N.H.) scored three runs
- For Dean, Matty Troy was 2-for-4 with a run, a double, and an RBI
GAME TWO:
The Monks followed a similar script in the second contest as the SJC offense fired out of the gates with four runs on three hits – including a Gravel two-run homer – in the first inning to stake an early advantage.
Chisholm plated senior right fielder Jake Laplume (Old Orchard Beach, Maine) on a fielder's choice in the second and, in the fifth inning, freshman center fielder Cliff Ward (Cohasset, Mass.) tripled and scored on a wild pitch and Gravel posted an RBI single to close out the scoring.
ON THE MOUND:
- SJC freshman starter Jason Johnson (Thomaston, Conn.), now 4-1 on the year, tossed 4.1 hitless innings and finished the day having allowed one hit with six strikeouts over five shutout frames; senior reliever Devan Harrison (Pocasset, Mass.) closed out the nightcap with two perfect innings of work
- Dean starter Griffin Connelly fell to 1-4 after allowing seven runs on nine hits with five K's in five innings; reliever Eric Lucey gave up two hits and fanned one in two innings
OFF THE BAT:
- Gravel went 2-for-4 with a run, a home run, and three RBI
- Chisholm was 2-for-3 with two runs, a double, and an RBI
- Ward went 2-for-4 with two runs, a triple, and a stolen base
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
The Monks are now 3-1 all-time versus Dean College, an institution that joined the GNAC prior to the start of the 2020-21 academic year.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will host Rivier University tomorrow in a GNAC doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM.
