PHOTO CREDIT: Laurel Clace '25

STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (8-22, 5-7 GNAC) clipped Lasell University (21-13, 10-4 GNAC), 3-1, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball action at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Tuesday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Monks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when sophomore Dylan Brander (Merrimack, N.H.) ripped a two-run single up the middle with the bases loaded and one out. The hosts tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth when senior Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) led off with a single, stole second, move to third on a groundout to the right side, and scored on a Brady Cabral (Fall River, Mass.) single up the middle to make it a 3-0 game.

SJC grad starter Matthew Bergeron (Salem, N.H.) cruised through the first six innings but ran into trouble in the seventh, when he yielded a run on a two-out double off the bat of Jared Whitby (Groton, Mass.). Junior reliever Hugh Barrett (Durham, Conn.) entered the game and dealt a leadoff walk, but worked out of the jam with a harmless infield groundout.

With runners on first and second and one out in the top of the eighth, senior closer Luke Stephens (Glastonbury, Conn.) entered the game and proceeded strike out senior Ross Audet (Swansea, Mass.) and induced an inning-ending fielder's choice to ward off the threat.

ON THE MOUND:

Bergeron picked up his first win of the season – and 22nd of his career – after allowing one run on eight hits and no walks with six strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Barrett gave up a hit and two walks in 0.2 innings and Stephens earned his first save of the year.

For Lasell, junior starter Jeremy Blackwood (Windsor, Conn.) falls to 2-1 on the season after giving up three runs on five hits and three walks with six K's in seven innings. Junior reliever Pierce Clare (Middletown, R.I.) closed out the contest by walking one in one inning of scoreless work.

OFF THE BAT:

• Brander was 1-4 with two RBI
• Freshman catcher Brady Cabral (Fall River, Mass.) was 1-3 with a run scored
• Freshman second baseman Vinny O'Leary (North Quincy, Mass.) reached base three times and was 1-2 with a run scored and a stolen base
• For Lasell, Whitby was 3-4 with two doubles and an RBI

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's will host UMaine-Farmington on Thursday in a non-conference doubleheader set to begin at 3:00 PM.

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