April 25, 2007

Standish, ME - The St. Joseph's College baseball team defeated Salem State College by a score of 9-3 in non-conference action on Wednesday at Larry Mahaney Diamond. With the victory, the Monks move their overall record to 25-5. Head coach Will Sanborn has now won 25 or more games eight times; he is currently in his 15th season at the helm.

After two scoreless innings it was the Vikings who got on the board first, using a pair of hits to plate 2 third inning runs. The Royal Blue would answer by tying the contest in their half of the frame. Sophomore Wade Oliver (Owl's Head, ME) blasted a one out offering deep and gone to left-centerfield for his first homerun of the year. Senior Keil Martin (Saco, ME) reached on a two-out single, and scored on shortstop Luke Enman's (Milan, NH) RBI double to right-field to tie the score at 2-2.

The Monks would score two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. DH Rick Sarmento (Lowell, MA) singled through the right side was followed by a Travis Adams (Saco, ME) base hit. After a sacrifice bunt by captain Brian Schools (Gorham, ME) moved both men into scoring position, up stepped Oliver with an RBI opportunity. Oliver wasted no time, delivering a 2 run double sharply down the left-field line to push the St. Joe's advantage to 4-2.

In the fifth inning the Monks scored a single run to make it a 5-2 game. Keil Martin drew a one out walk and scored on Enman's second RBI double of the afternoon.

The Royal Blue used three hits and a Viking error to put the visitors away with a 4-run seventh inning. Oliver got things started with a single, then after a groundout, Martin drew a walk. Luke Enman then produced his third RBI double of the game to score Oliver. Martin came home when a Salem State pick-off attempt was thrown into centerfield. Enman then scampered home on a wild pitch to advance the lead to 8-2. Dustin Spiller (Gorham, ME) then drilled his first homerun of the season off of the scoreboard in left-centerfield to put the home Monks on top 9-2.

Wade Oliver (3-5) and Luke Enman (3-3) each had 3 hits and 3 RBI to pace the Royal Blue offense. Oliver also converted his fourth outfield assist of the season, gunning down a Salem State runner at home plate with a little help from relay-man Brian Schools. Keil Martin chipped in a 2-2 day with 3 runs scored, and catcher Travis Adams was 2-4 with a run.

First Year RHP Craig Woodbrey (Gorham, ME) earned his first collegiate victory on the mound for the Monks. Woodbrey threw 88 pitches during his 5 strong innings of work. He allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 2. Sophomore Chris Leger (Jaffrey, NH) tossed 2 scoreless innings of relief, giving up 1 hit and striking out 1. Southpaw Cole Filosa (Milford, MA) struck out 2 in a scoreless eighth inning. Junior Ryan Boucher (Manchester, NH) allowed the Vikings 1 run on 1 hits and a walk in the ninth, but managed to preserve the 9-3 victory.

The Monks will be in action next on Thursday when they renew their rivalry with the University of Southern Maine. The action will be at beautiful Larry Mahaney Diamond on the campus of Saint Joseph's College beginning at 3:30 p.m.