STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (3-7) split a non-conference doubleheader with Colby College (1-1) at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Sunday afternoon. The Monks fell to the Mules by an 11-5 score in the opener and salvaged the split with a 6-1 victory in the nightcap.

GAME ONE

Colby took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second with three runs off one swing, as senior Tommy McGee (Bowie, Md.) launched a three-run jack over the left field wall to lift the visitors to an early advantage. The Monks answered in similar fashion when senior right fielder Kevin Aylward (East Bridgewater, Mass.) belted a two-run shot over the scoreboard in left field.

St. Joe's managed to grab a 5-4 edge with three runs off three hits in the bottom of the fourth when senior center fielder Hunter Richardson (North Monmouth, Maine) and senior shortstop Justin Juliano (Lynnfield, Mass.) delivered RBI singles and senior second baseman Luke Johnson (East Hampton, Conn.) plated Aylward with a suicide squeeze.

The lead did not last long however, as the Mules proceeded to score three runs off just one hit with the help of two SJC errors in the top of the fifth to earn a 7-5 advantage. Colby tacked on another run in the top of the sixth and capped the game scoring with three runs off four hits in the seventh.

ON THE MOUND:

• SJC junior starter George Welch (Derry, N.H.) allowed four runs off five hits with seven strikeouts over four innings
• Sophomore Sam Jalbert (Mascouche, Que.) took the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) off two hits and two walks in two innings of relief and junior Devan Harrison (Bourne, Mass.) yielded three runs off four hits and a walk in one inning of work
• Colby senior starter Frank Driscoll (Philadelphia, Pa.) picked up the victory after allowing five runs off eight hits with a pair of K's in four innings while freshman Elijah Cohen (Marblehead, Mass.) notched the save after tossing three innings of no-hit relief with five strikeouts

OFF THE BAT:

• Richardson was 2-3 with two runs, a double, and an RBI
• Aylward went 2-2 with two runs, a home run, and two RBI
• For Colby, McGee was 2-4 with two runs, a homer, and three RBI while Caleb Jung (La Mirada, Calif.), Cole Palmeri (North Andover, Mass.), and Brady O'Brien (Marshfield, Mass.) notched two hits apiece

GAME TWO:

The SJC offense exploded for five runs off four hits in the bottom of the third with the help of a pair of long balls. Richardson led off the inning with a solo blast, senior first baseman Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.) roped an RBI double, and freshman starting pitcher Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) helped himself with a three-run homer in the game-changing frame.

The Mules cut their deficit to 5-1 in the top of the fifth when Russell lofted a sac fly to left field, but the Monks responded with a sac fly of their own – off the bat of senior catcher Matthew Martinello (Woodbridge, Conn.) – to complete the game scoring and bring an end to the Monks' four-game losing streak.

ON THE MOUND:

• Stephens was dominant on the mound and earned the win after fanning six and allowing a run off three hits over five frames
• Freshman Brian Berthiaume (New Boston, N.H.) and junior Matt Bergeron (Salem, N.H.) both tossed a scoreless inning of relief
• Colby starter Julian Erro (Pinecrest, Fla.) took the loss after giving up a run off three hits over 2.1 innings and relievers Nicholas Thompson (Scarborough, Maine), Matthew Scibilio (Scituate, Mass.), and John Doyle (Topsfield, Mass.) combined to allow five runs off four hits and two walks with five K's in 3.2 innings

OFF THE BAT:

• Richardson was 2-4 with a solo home run
• Stephens belted a three-run homer
• For Colby, junior designated hitter Cabot Maher (Barrington, R.I.) was 1-2 with a double

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

With the split, Saint Joseph's is now 23-13 all-time versus Colby College. For the Mules, the opening victory was their first over the Monks since April 8th, 2011.

NEXT!

The Monks are back in action on Wednesday with a single game at Endicott College starting at 3:30 PM.

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