STANDISH, Maine – Junior
Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) launched a bomb for the first homer of the season for the Plymouth State University baseball team, but Saint Joseph's College of Maine scored in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with a 5-4 win over the Panthers in a non-conference game at Larry Mahaney Diamond on Tuesday.
Senior
Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) brought home freshman
Tyler Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) in the third to erase an early 1-0 deficit. The Monks tallied two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to expand their lead to 4-1. Sokolski got the Panthers back in the game with the first long ball of the season for PSU with runners on the corners in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. After a quiet eighth inning, the Panthers were halted in the top of the ninth and St. Joe's brought in a pinch runner in the bottom half. The runner stole a base and was eventually singled home for the walk-off win.
Plymouth State slips to 5-8, while Saint Joseph's moved up to 5-9.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, Saint Joseph's 5
- Plymouth State (5-8)
- Saint Joseph's (5-9)
How it Happened:
- After the Monks snagged the first run of the game in the bottom of the first, junior Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) reached on a hit by pitch. Sophomore Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) doubled down the right field line, but the rally was shut down with a strikeout for the Monks to stay in front 1-0.
- Plymouth State got on the board following back-to-back walks by Sokolski and Hicks. Crane lofted a sacrifice fly to bring home Hicks and even the score at 1-1 in the top of the third.
- St. Joe's answered back with two runs in the fourth inning to go back ahead, 3-1.
- Junior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) attempted to get the Panthers back on track, stealing third in the fifth inning, but the Monks sniffed him out and continued to build the lead with another run in the sixth to make it 4-1.
- Sokolski clutched up for the Panthers in the seventh. Senior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) and sophomore Jason Smith (Charlestown, Mass.) both singles to get on base and Sokolski slammed a clutch game-tying homer to knot the score at 4-4.
- Sophomore Nick Wilson (Mont Vernon, N.H.) held off the Monks on the mound in the eighth inning, but PSU was unable to score in the ninth.
- The Monks finished off the game with a two-out rally in the bottom half. After two quick outs a pinch hit single and pinch runner stolen base put the winning run on second. PSU walked the next batter to set up the force play, but a single through the left side scored the walk-off run.
By the Numbers:
- Sokolski finished 1-for-4 with three RBI after the first dinger of the season.
- Crane knocked in PSU's other run.
- Hicks struck out three hitters while also contributing a run scored.
- Saint Joseph's has won each of the last five meetings.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State is scheduled to host Keene State a week from Saturday (Apr. 8) for a pair of LEC contests, weather permitting.
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