STANDISH, Maine – An impressive pitching performance by Saint Joseph's College of Maine limited Plymouth State University's offense as the Monks earned a non-conference doubleheader sweep at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Sunday afternoon.
Freshman
Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) went 2-for-2 in the opener, but the Panthers were limited to just four hits as St. Joe's earned a 12-2 victory.
The Monks used four unearned runs and a dominant performance by their starter to complete the sweep with a 4-0 win in game two.
Plymouth State dips to 7-11, while St. Joe's improves to 8-8.
The Basics:
- Game One: Plymouth State 2, St. Joe's 12 (7 Inn.)
- Game Two: Plymouth State 0, St. Joe's 4 (7 Inn.)
- Plymouth State (7-11)
- St. Joe's (8-8)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Sophomore Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) smoked a two-out double to left in the top of the first but was stranded at second.
- The Monks push four runs across in the bottom of the frame.
- PSU cut into the margin in the second. Junior Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) walked and junior Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) reached on an error. Healey scampered home on an error and Crane swiped second and third before crossing the plate on another SJC miscue to make it 4-2.
- The Monks pounded six straight one-out hits in the bottom of the frame to plate another four runs, then added four more in the third to make it 12-2.
- Plymouth State had a pair of runners in the fourth, but a double play ball ended the rally and neither team threatened again.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- St. Joe's pitching limited the Panthers to just four hits, a walk and a hit batsman.
- Quinn had a pair of singles in two at bats, while sophomore Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) also singled.
- Sokolski had the Panthers' only extra base hit, while Crane stole two bases.
- PSU's relief duo of juniors Ethan Foster (Catskill, N.Y.) and Braxton Brown (Lancaster, N.H.) struck out three and allowed just one hit over the final 3.1 innings.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Welsh poked a two-out single to left in the second, but a lineout ended the frame.
- PSU's best threat came in the third, when sophomore Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) reached on a bunt single and moved to third on a pair of stolen bases, but he was stranded at third.
- St. Joe's took advantage of a pair of errors to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the inning, then pushed across another two unearned runs in the fourth.
- Junior Nick Cote (Londonderry, N.H.) had a two-out single in the fifth but was gunned down trying to steal second and the Panthers' only other baserunner came on a seventh inning walk.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Welsh, Cote and Curtis singled for the Panthers, while graduate student Peter Laviolette (Longboat Key, Fla.) worked a walk.
- Junior Bobby Cliche (Stratham, N.H.) struck out four over the first 3.1, but suffered the loss, while senior Noah Wachter (Concord, N.H.) went the final 2.2, striking out six of the 11 batters he faced.
- The meeting was the first between the two teams since the 2017 season.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State is set to open Little East Conference (LEC) play on Saturday (Apr. 2) when the Panthers host Eastern Connecticut State University for a doubleheader. Game one is slated for a 1:15 p.m. start.
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