Photo courtesy of Blue Egg Images

WATERVILLE, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (14-6) defeated Colby College (6-5), 8-2, in a non-conference baseball contest on a chilly Tuesday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Monks grabbed the lead early, as senior shortstop Joey Murphy (Derry, N.H.) led off with a single, scooted to third on a Jared Gagne (Dover, N.H.) double, and scored on a Greg Emanuelson (Hudson, N.H.) groundout in the top of the first.

St. Joe's tacked on two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to claim a 5-0 advantage. In the top of the fourth, sophomore second baseman Luke Johnson (East Hampton, Conn.) worked a bases-loaded walk and Murphy notched a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, junior designated hitter Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.) roped an RBI double and later scored on a double off the bat of senior left fielder Anthony DiPrizio (Rochester, N.H.).

Colby countered with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Monks responded with three runs off three hits in the top of the eighth to close out their scoring ledger. Gagne posted an RBI triple, Emanuelson posted a run-scoring two-bagger, and Healey knocked in a run with a single to lift the visitors to an 8-1 lead.

Sophomore reliever Jonathan Marchia (Chicopee, Mass.) ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the ninth as the Mules plated a run off four-consecutive singles with one out, but the second-year righthander sat down the next two batters to bring an end to the bases-loaded threat.

ON THE MOUND:

Senior starter Grayson Jennings (Mililani, Hawaii) improves to 2-0 on the season after allowing a run off just one hit while working around five walks over six innings. Juniors Troy Bogdahn (Hollis, Maine) and Jonathan Rolfe (Plainville, Mass.) both tossed uneventful innings in relief and Marchia gave up a run off four hits with a strikeout in the ninth.

For Colby, junior starter Emery Dinsmore (Waldo, Maine) took the loss after yielding three runs off three hits and three free passes with a pair of punch-outs in 3.1 innings. Relievers Cameron Garfield (Wellesley, Mass.) and Charlie Jodka (North Andover, Mass.) combined to allow five runs off six hits and three walks over 4.1 frames while junior Alexander Wieder (Bronxville, N.Y.) effectively silenced the SJC bats, as the righty gave up a hit and a walk while fanning three over 1.1 innings of work.

OFF THE BAT:

• Healey was 3-5 with a run, a double, and two RBI
• Murphy went 3-4 with two runs, three stolen bases, and an RBI
• Gagne added a double and a triple with a run, a stolen base, and an RBI
• DiPrizio was 2-4 with a run and an RBI
• Emanuelson was 1-4 with a double, two runs and a pair of RBI
• For Colby, junior third baseman William Wessman (Dallas, Texas) and freshman left fielder Mark Sunoo (Old Greenwich, Mass.) delivered two hits apiece

NOTEWORTHY:

Murphy, who now has 24 steals this season, tied the SJC career stolen bases record with his third swipe in today's triumph – the record (61) was initially set by Arlo Pike '86, who also owns the team's single-season pilfering mark with 34 in 1986…The Monks turned three double plays in tonight's victory…With two RBI tonight, Emanuelson ups his season total to 34 (through just 20 games), the most since Jameson Collins '17 and Taylor Black '17 knocked in 44 apiece in 2017.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

With the triumph, Saint Joseph's improves to 22-12 in the history of the series with Colby College and has now defeated the Mules in six-consecutive meetings. Dating back to the 2003, the Monks are 14-1 versus Colby.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's resumes Great Northeast Athletic Conference play on Thursday with a doubleheader versus Lasell College. The lid-lifter is scheduled for a 3:00 PM start.

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