Lucier went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI
Smith threw 6.0 scoreless innings allowing only three hits |
EASTON, Massachusetts (May 2, 2019) – The Stonehill College baseball team defeated Saint Anselm College in a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference play on Lou Gorman Field to win its fifth game out of the last six games with scores of 4-2 and 8-0.
The Skyhawks are now 21-25 overall and 12-14 in NE10 Conference play, while the Hawks fall to 6-34 and 2-23 in Conference play.
Game 1: Stonehill 4 – Saint Anselm 2
Freshman pitcher Matt Smith fended off the Hawks in the first 6.0 innings, as he threw to 21 batters allowing only three hits, one walk, and striking out two for his second win of the season.
The Skyhawks saw a base runner in each of the eight innings at the plate, except for the bottom of the seventh, when Ryan Schworer retired three-straight. In the bottom of the fourth, Stonehill had runners in scoring position after back-to-back singles to lead off the frame and a balk during Ryan Abel's at bat. Abel then popped up to first base, but on an overthrow, Rob Duarte scored from third for a 1-0 advantage. After the second out, Matt Farragher singled to left field driving home Patrick Downey from third for a 2-0 lead.
With runners on first and third with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, Farragher was called out on a sacrifice but Noah Lucierscored squeezing in a third run, 3-0. In the top of the seventh, Saint Anselm tallied back-to-back hits for runners on the corners and Peyton Goodrich sent a fly ball to center field for their first run of the game, cutting the deficit to two, 3-1.
Stonehill had runners in scoring position once again in the bottom of the eighth and on Farragher's grounder to shortstop, Matthew Rocco scored to put their lead back to two, 4-1. In the Hawks' last at bats, Max Silverman helped Saint Anselm come within two, 4-2, as he singled and then advanced on a passed ball scoring on Goodrich's double to left center, the first extra-base hit of the game. Brendan Powicki was able to get out of the jam, tallying his first save of the season.
Game 2: Stonehill 8 – Saint Anselm 0
Both teams were scoreless in the first four innings, as Stonehill tallied two hits to Saint Anselm's one. The Skyhawks partnered junior Michael White's dominant pitching, including a career high 10 strikeouts for 7.0 scoreless innings of work, with four runs off three hits and an error in the bottom of the fifth. They saw a one-out sacrifice fly from Lucier for a 1-0 lead, and the bases quickly filled up for Harrison Sabo's two-out three-run double to right center extending the lead to four, 4-0.
White threw 7.0 innings with a career high 10 strikeouts for his sixth win of the season |
The Skyhawks added another three runs in the bottom of the sixth off four of the 10 total hits in the game. PJ McDonald saw his second hit of the game, driving in Lucier and Thomas Quinn for a 6-0 lead, as Lucier added another run, scoring on a wild pitch. William Kelleher connected for his 11th double of the season for the third run of the inning as Farragher crossed home from second, 7-0.
The Hawks threatened with six base runners in the remaining three innings, including a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the ninth. Stonehill slid in one more run in the bottom of the seventh as Lucier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the eighth run, 8-0.
Stonehill will conclude their season with the final game of the three-game series against Saint Anselm College tomorrow, Friday, May 3 with a first pitch at 2:00 p.m. on Lou Gorman Field.
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