Junior Ben Monte led the Skyhawks at the plate today, finishing 5-for-10 with four RBI and three runs. |
Skyhawks improve to 17-12 overall and 6-6 in conference play
MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 16, 2016) – Stonehill College piled up 28 hits and 20 runs on its way to a pair of victories at Saint Anselm College this afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball action at Sullivan Park. Stonehill exploded for five runs in the 12th inning to post an 11-6 win in the opener, before rolling to a 9-2 triumph in game two.
Junior Ben Monte (New Haven, Connecticut/Guilford) was among six Skyhawks to record multiple hits over the two games with a 5-for-10 at the plate with two doubles, four RBI and three runs. Classmate Steve Lee (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) finished 4-for-10 with a homerun, three runs and an RBI, while senior Brian Hocking (Duxbury, Massachusetts/BC High) recorded a pair of hits, including a homerun to go with four RBI and two runs. Sophomore Alexander Joyce (Newton, Massachusetts/Newton North) and freshman Harrison Sabo (Wilton, Connecticut/Wilton) combined to go 7-for-10 with five RBI and four runs scored, while Joyce connected on his first career homerun.
Senior John Hauck (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania/Penn-Trafford) started game one for Stonehill and pitched 6.1 innings of two run ball, while walking two and striking out five batters. Junior Aubrey Solomon (Groton, Massachusetts/Lawrence Academy) picked up the win for the Skyhawks after throwing 3.1 innings of relief and striking out six batters. Junior Jeremy Roberts (Reading, Massachusetts/Malden Catholic) earned the win in game two, nearly going the distance with eight innings pitched to go with five strikeouts.
For Saint Anselm, senior Ken Morrisino (East Longmeadow, Massachusetts/East Longmeadow) finished 5-for-11 with three runs and four stolen bases, while junior Nick Bragole (Newburyport, Massachusetts/Saint John's Prep) went 4-for-9 with two runs and one RBI. Junior Jon McQuarrie (Salem, New Hampshire/Bishop Guertin) recorded a pair of hits including a homerun and three RBI.
Stonehill 11, Saint Anselm 6 (12 innings)
Stonehill held a 2-0 lead heading to the seventh inning behind a sacrifice fly by senior Eric Schneider (Camarillo, California/St. Bonaventure) in the first and an RBI double by Monte in the fifth. Saint Anselm tied the game at two runs in the bottom of the seventh, before Stonehill plated four runs in the eighth. Hocking doubled to left field to score Lee from third and junior Eddie Bowler (Hingham, Massachusetts/Hingham) doubled to score Hocking from second. Freshman Matthew Rocco (Newington, Connecticut/Newington) came on to pinch run for Bowler and Sabo was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Joyce then singled to right field to record an RBI and Monte singled through the left side to plate Sabo.
Down 6-2, Saint Anselm responded with four runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a solo homerun by McQuarrie. Both teams were put down in order in the ninth inning to force extra innings. The Hawks were poised to walk-off in the bottom of the 10th when junior Matthew Flynn (Saratoga Springs, New York/Saratoga Springs) stole third base but the Hawks were unable to drive him home.
Junior Jeremy Roberts held the Saint Anselm offense to two runs over eight innings in game two. |
Stonehill scored five runs in the top of the 12th inning to pull away from Saint Anselm. Sabo registered an RBI bunt single to score Schneider from third base and Joyce connected on a three-run homerun to give the Skyhawks their fifth win in the NE-10 and the first game of the doubleheader.
In game two, it was Saint Anselm who jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Hawks scored twice in the bottom of the first inning behind a two-RBI double by McQuarrie. That was all the run support sophomore pitcher Andy Williams (Merrimack, New Hampshire/Bishop Guertin) would receive as Roberts shut down the Saint Anselm offense for the remainder of the game.
Stonehill took the lead for good in the fifth inning, when sophomore Alex Hurley (Rumford, Rhode Island/Worcester Academy) got the scoring started when he came around on a double by Monte. After freshman William Kelleher (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) was hit by a pitch, senior Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers) reached on a fielder's choice to score Monte from second. Lee then singled through the left side of the infield to put two runners on for Hocking. The senior stepped to the plate and unloaded a three-run homerun to make the score 6-2.
Stonehill plated three more runs in the sixth, as sophomore Justin Nicklas (Foxboro, Massachusetts/St. Sebastian's), Monte and Hoyt all recorded RBI's to put Saint Anselm away and give the Skyhawks the sweep.
Stonehill (17-12, 6-6 NE-10) is back in action tomorrow as the Skyhawks play another doubleheader and close out the four game weekend series at Saint Anselm (7-22, 3-10), starting at noon.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks mobile app on iTunes and the Android Market.