Sullivan Pitches Two-Hitter as Lasers Defeat Preseason Favorite St. Joseph's Maine

Waltham, MA—Sophomore right hander Josh Sullivan (Rockland, MA) pitched a two-hitter as the Lasell College baseball team defeated preseason favorites St. Joseph’s College of Maine, 6-2, in the first game of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Sullivan delivered a perfect game through five and a third innings, striking out six, en route to the Lasers’ first ever victory over the Monks.  St. Joseph’s came back in the nightcap to collect a 13-1 win over the Lasers. 

In addition to an incredible complete game on the mound, Sullivan also produced one hit and two runs for the Lasers while aiding his own cause with one putout and three assists in the field.   Jake Salkovitz (Brockton, MA) went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, a run, and two RBI and Bobby Stachura (Middletown, CT) added two hits, one run, and one RBI for Lasell. 

Craig Woodbrey (Gorham, ME) and Travis Adams (Saco, ME) each tallied a hit and a run for the visitors, with Adams producing the Monks two-RBI home run in the sixth. 

Lasell raced to a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Carlton Lentini (Wilmington, MA) reach first on an error by the Monks short stop.  Lentini got out the following play when Sullivan grounded to first base and Ben Grant-Roy (Biddeford, ME) selected to make the out at second.  Mike Mahoney (Rockland, MA) walked and Jake Salkovitz (Brockton, MA) loaded the bases with an infield single.   Stachura hit a slow-roller to the third baseman which scored Sullivan and still left the bases loaded with only one out.  During his second chance at the plate, Matt Mahoney waited out the pitcher to take his second walk of the day, bringing in Mike Mahoney, and giving Lasell a 2-0 advantage. 

St. Joseph’s brought in Chris Nanof (Clinton, MA) to relieve Korr after one and a third innings.  Herb Chappell (Salem, CT) smacked a fielder’s choice which gave St. Joe’s the out at second, but plated Salkovitz in the process.  With two outs and runners on the corners, Conor Cavanaugh (Quincy, MA) hit a ground-rule double into left field, scoring Stachura.  Nanoff eventually collected the third out, sitting down a Laser batter on strikes.

Lentini and Sullivan started things off again in the third, when Lentini sent a base-hit down the third base line and Sullivan followed with a single into the left field gap.  Mike Mahoney hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Lentini and Sullivan, and Salkovitz knocked a perfectly placed double into right field, scoring the two Laser runners. 

Righty pitcher Mason Roberge (Franklin, NH) replaced Nanoff after one inning with a runner on second and one out.  Stachura grounded out to the third baseman Nick Saunders (Brooksville, ME), and Salkovitz proceeded to third on the throw.   Roberge got out of the inning with a strikeout, prohibiting Salkovitz from scoring. Lasell capped their scoring by the end of the inning, 6-0.

The score remained unchanged through the fourth and the fifth. Sullivan and Roberge struck out one batter each in the two-inning stretch.

After making it through five and third innings unscathed, Woodbrey broke up Sullivan’s perfect game with a two-bag knock deep into left center, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Adams pulled out a two-run homer over the center field fence in the following play, scoring the Monks first runs of the game, with one out.  Sullivan regained his composure to strike out Chris Campbell (Rochester, NH) swinging, and Salkovitz made the final play of the inning at second base.

Top of the final inning, Keneborus reached on a throwing error by Lasell’s short stop.  Sullivan struck out Grant-Roy and Moran swinging, beating out a full count in both instances, and Cavanagh made the final out, catching a fly ball to center field. 

Chappell and Cavanagh ended the game with a hit and a RBI each while Lentini produced a hit and a run in the victory. 

Roberge finished the game for the Monks, with one hit, no runs and five strike-outs. 

St. Joseph’s came into game two with a renewed energy, opening with a grand slam by Ian Lee (Hampden, ME) during his first at bat of the afternoon.  Lee was set up by Grant-Roy, Todd Keneborus (Hollis Center, ME), and Pat Moran (Winterport, ME).  Grant-Roy reach first on a fielder’s choice, Keneborus was hit by a pitch, and Moran walked to load the bases.  With a full count and two outs, Lee bombed the home run deep beyond the center field fence, giving the Monks a prompt 4-0 advantage.

Another four-run inning for the Monks occurred in the top of the third as a result of four-hits.   Moran grounded out to Chappell at first base, scoring Keneborus who had taken an earlier walk. Lee hit an RBI-single in the following play, bringing Grant-Roy home, for a 6-0 Monk lead. The final two runs of the stretch were scored on a single to center field by Adams.

The Monks’ starting pitcher Chad Rafferty (Keene, NH) allowed just one Laser hit in the first three innings, letting up a Cavanagh double in the second. 

Moran highlighted the fourth inning with a two-run homer clearing the left field fence, bringing home Keneborus. Lasell found themselves in a 10-0 deficit at the bottom of the inning.

It was the bottom of the fourth when Lasell got on the board.  Stachura and Pat Girard (Stonington, CT) both walked. Sullivan followed with a single through the right side, which plated Stachura for Lasell’s first, and only, run.

The Monks continued to do damage in the fifth as Sam Butts (Saco, ME) singled up the right line. Dan Achorn (Bow, NH) followed with a double to left center. Kyle Neagle (Lisbon Falls, ME) shot a sac fly to left field, scoring Butts, to bring the score to 11-1.

Back-to-back triples by St. Joseph’s in the top of the seventh inning brought in the 12^th run.  Neagle knocked the first into center field and Keneborus launched the second into right center, plating Neagle.  Keneborus came home on a wild pitch for the Monks final run.

Keneborus went 2-for-2 with four runs and one RBI in the Monks win.  Lee had a day at the plate, with two hits, including the initial grand-slam, one run and five RBI.  Butts and Adams also went 2-for-2 at the plate, while a half-dozen Monks aided to the victory with one hit each. 

Rafferty acquired the win in six innings, relinquishing two hits and one earned run, while fanning four Laser batters. 

Pat Kennedy (Monroe, CT) struck out two Monk batters in two innings of relief pitching for Lasell. 

Both teams return to GNAC action on Sunday, April 11th.  St. Joseph’s will head to Emerson for a 4:00 p.m. start at Maplewood Park, while the Lasers will face current conference leaders Suffolk University (11-10, 7-1 GNAC) at noon at Brandeis University.