STANDISH, Maine – The New England College baseball team could not overcome a couple of 5-4 deficits at Saint Joseph's College of Maine in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Saturday Afternoon at Larry Mahaney Diamond in Standish, Maine.
THE BASICS
Scores: New England College 4, Saint Joseph's (ME) 5 (Game One) | New England College 4, Saint Joseph's (ME) 5 (Game Two)
Records: Pilgrims 6-26, 4-10 GNAC | Monks 12-22, 7-7 GNAC
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Being the winners of four straight St. Joes looked to keep the momentum going into today's game where they started hitting the ground running in the bottom of the second. That is when senior outfielder Dawson Gundlah (York, Maine) took advantage of a passed ball mistake by the visiting catcher by running home from nearby third base to score the game's first run. The next sequence provided well for the Monks as the Junior Henniker, N.H. native Alex Moore stole second base following being hit in the batter's box while the proceeding play, freshman catcher Brady Cabral (Fall River, Mass.) reached first with a hit that was errored by NEC's shortstop, allowing Moore and sophomore infielder Luke Doughty (York, Maine) to score a pair of unearned runs leading their team up 3-0.
- A couple of innings later in the bottom of the fourth, St. Joe's would tack on another run by senior infielder Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) who initially hit a lining double to left field and then advanced on a ground-out in the following play. It was not until Cabral made another impactful hit as he singled to the left side bringing Stephens home to increase the Monks' lead to 4-0.
- With opportunities dwindling for the 'Grims, the top of the seventh inning provided a spark on offense where senior infielder Brett Patnode (Weare, N.H.) led the charge by hitting a single up the middle, followed by a left-fielding double by senior infielder Johnny Cannavo (Weymouth, Mass.). As two are already one base and within striking distance, graduate infielder Cooper Ribaudo (Salem, N.H.) flew out to the right field which ended up being a sacrifice where Patnode would give NEC their first run of the game. A couple of plays later, sophomore outfielder Ryan Cote (Goffstown, N.H.) reached base on a fielder's choice which got graduate infielder Tyler Gendron (Milford, N.H.) out but made way for Cannavo – who was already on third base – run in for the score, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
- Later in the bottom of the eighth, Monks' sophomore infielder Dylan Brander (Merrimack, N.H.) would not let his team squander as he hit a nice single where he would be pinched by sophomore outfielder Ryan Kastle (Concord, N.H.). Kastle would go ahead and steal second base right off the bat and subsequently jogged to third after Luke Doughty got hit by a pitch. Another passed ball by the 'Grims provided costly implications, allowing Kastle to speed in for an unearned run expanding St. Joe's' lead to 5-2.
- The last chance for NEC came up just short as singles by both Gendron and Ribaudo put them squarely in position to make it home. It was not until graduate catcher Aaron Robertson (Weare, N.H.) banged in a mean single supplying the aforementioned Gendron and Ribaudo aa path to home plate. The two runs would however not be enough to catch the home team as the Monks would eke out a 5-4 victory in game number one.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- NEC sophomore pitcher Brendan Hill (Lincoln, R.I.) would be tallied with the loss after one inning after contributing two strikeouts. He was substituted by junior right-handed pitcher Corey O'Day (Nashua, N.H.) who tallied a solid six strikeouts in the remainder of the game.
- St. Joe's junior right-handed pitcher Hugh Barrett (Durham, Conn.) was credited with the win with a strikeout to his totals. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Padraig Mac Seain (Brookline, N.H.) would fill in for the rest of the first matchup handing eight large strikeouts.
- Gendron would be at the forefront of the 'Grims offense as he was able to get two hits and a run with his three at-bats. Robertson's impactful single led to him gaining two RBIs for the game.
- Stephens was the catalyst for the Monks in their first win of the day, where he took part in making two significant hits along with tacking on a run in three at-bats.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a wild ending to game one on the docket, game two would take the prize for such a finish. After a slow start, it was not until the top of the third inning that a scoring play would take place, as NEC's Ribaudo hit a stellar double out into right field which would set himself up for success as he was able to get to third base on a passed ball by the home team. The upper-classmen connection would come into effect as a Patnode double at the left-field line providing a straight line for Ribaudo to earn himself a run, making it 1-0 'Grims lead.
- Both sides would not nudge into home plate for the next handful of innings until it was the bottom of the seventh when St. Joe's would make the tables turn where Stephens and Luke Doughty would hit a couple of singles which would later advance them in striking distance by a Cabral single marking the bases as loaded. The Monks would embark on a dominating sequence initiated by freshman infielder Matt Elwell (Wakefield, Mass.) hit a powerful double to left field, giving way to Stephens and Luke Doughty to get to home. Subsequently after, sophomore outfielder Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.) hit a long fly-out to center field, giving enough time for Cabral to score. Elwell would have the favor returned to him as junior infielder Michael Wearne (Ellington, Conn.) connected on a single to center field earning himself an RBI while Elwell punched it home as St. Joe's would open up to a 4-1 lead.
- Down in the same spot in which they could not overcome the first game, NEC would stun the Monks with four subsequent runs. It all started with a Gendron single which will then be pushed by a double from Cote and then later – to fill the bases – a walk by Robertson. Freshman outfielder Jason Figuereo (Lynn, Mass.) would begin to reel the patiently waiting 'Grims home as he hit a single giving Gendron way to a run. Then, a Ribaudo single to third base brought Cote home to pull within one. If that were not enough magic, an unforced passed ball by St. Joe's allowed Robertson to run in for a game-tying score knotted at four a piece.
- However, the Monks did not want to go into extra innings as Elwell was trying to provide something for his team but was hit by the pitcher and sending him to first base. The tables would turn and would haunt NEC as they fumbled on a passed ball of their own where Elwell would walk it of by gliding into home coming in from second base to earn the Monks their second win of the day with the same score of 5-4.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- NEC senior left-handed pitcher Nolan Stoney (Bedford, N.H.) was tallied with the loss in game two in a little over an inning. Before him was junior right-handed pitcher Austin Hazzard (Weare, N.H.) who contributed six strikeouts in the afternoon.
- St. Joe's junior pitcher Logan Dee (Laconia, N.H.) was credited for the win for the game while handing two strikeouts in the final moments of the doubleheader. Brander would see most action on the mound where he totaled seven strikeouts in little over seven innings.
- Ribaudo was the driving force for the 'Grims where he recorded two hits as one of them counted as an RBI as well as giving himself a run in the process.
- Elwell was the Monks' savior for the day as he earned himself a couple runs to go along with a hit and two RBIs.
UP NEXT
- NEC is back on the field on Sunday, April 28th when they play their last pair of regular season games in a makeup doubleheader against the Raiders of Rivier University at Laurie Cox Memorial Field with first pitch coming at 12:00 PM.
- St. Joe's plays their next games on the road at Norwich University on Sunday, April 28th starting at 12:00 PM in GNAC action.
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