AMCATS Battle Monks in GNAC Tilt; Drop Two Games

STANDISH, Maine – Following a 10-0 loss to Newbury on Thursday night in a five inning, rain shortened game, the 'Cats took a trip up north to Standish, Maine to play St. Joe's in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference double header. Though Anna Maria was able to battle the Monks in both games, they came home empty handed losing game one 12-7 and game two 5-4 in eight innings.

Game 1

Greg Gehring and Noah Holland each had two hit games in game one for Anna Maria. Holland hit his second home run of the season, second in conference, less than a week after walking off against the Norwich Cadets last Sunday, and drove in three runs. His homer was also the only extra base hit the AMCATS produced.  Tanner Jakola had a one-for-three game at the dish and drove in two runs while scoring another. First baseman Mike Tourony recorded the only other RBI for the visitors in the game. AMC used four different pitchers in the first game. Starter Jack Marzec got through 2.1 innings and allowed six of the Monk runs, only two of them earned. Marzec and reliever Liam Cunningham, who ended up with the loss, struck out four hitters each in the game.

The Monks used 13 offensive players and eight pitchers in game one. Shortstop Joey Murphy and designated hitter Greg Emanuelson each had two hits in the game and each drove in three runs. Outfielder Jared Gagne drove in two runs in a one-for-two game at the plate. He and Will Martin each walked three times in the game. The Monks starting pitcher, Aaron Hall only got through 0.1 innings giving up two hits, walked one, and allowed two runs before being taken out. Josh Partridge, the seventh pitcher used by the Monks, ended up being the pitcher of record as he worked 1.2 innings, didn't give up a hit and struck out three AMCAT hitters.

Anna Maria surprised the Monks in the first inning, scoring two runs off of a Tourony ground out and Holland single down the left field line scoring Gehring and Jakola respectively.

After shutting down the home team in the first inning, the 'Cats came back out on offense and scored two more runs on a two-run single from Jakola that scored Jason Shell and Jake Crevier. Down 4-0, the Monks answered in the bottom of the second cutting the deficit to three runs.

After getting out of the second, the AMCATS were unable to regain their four-run lead or add to it. The Monks took advantage of the 'Cats in the bottom of the third scoring three runs to tie the game at four and added two more before the inning was over to flip the script and take a two-run, 6-4 lead. They would add to the lead in the fourth, scoring another run, to take a 7-4 lead after four innings.

In the top of the fifth, Holland and the Anna Maria offense erased the deficit on Noah's two-run dinger, scoring himself and Tourony. Following some Monk miscues, Crevier reached on an error that allowed Nick Genatossio to come in and score from third.

With the game tied at seven, the Monks finally found a pitcher that was able to shut down the AMCAT bats allowing St. Joe's to take a lead in the bottom of the fifth, first 8-7 then, 11-7 on a bases clearing single off the bat of Murphy.

The Monks added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 12-7 lead which would end up being the final score with the AMCATS unable to put any runs on the board in the top of the seventh frame.

Game 2

The 'Cats hung with the Monks once again in game two as they put nine hits up on the board. Three of which came from freshman Noah Holland who also drove in a run and scored once. The AMCATS also got multi-hit games from Nick Genatossio and Jason Shell. Both of shells hits in the game were double, with Genatossio adding the other 'Cats extra base hit, also a double. Senior Tanner Jakola went one-for-three at the dish and scored two runs in the game. Starting pitcher Colin Pipkin pitched five complete innings allowing all four of the Monk run, only three of which were earned. He gave up five hits and walked five hitters while also striking out eight St. Joe's hitters. Senior Dan Chambers came in in relief in the sixth. He completed two innings and while he didn't allow a hit or strike out a batter, he shut down the Monks in the seventh inning, in order to send the game to extra innings.

The Monks production looked very similar to that of the AMCATS as they put together five hits, all coming from different hitters. Of the five runs, three were credited as RBI, driven in by Jared Gagne, Jacob White, and Chris Gerossie. Starting pitcher Grayson Jennings pitched 5.0 innings giving up three hits, one run while striking out five hitters. Josh Partridge came in in relief for the second consecutive game and allowed the AMCAT offense to get back in to the game giving up six hits, three runs, all earned while also striking out four 'Cats.

After overcoming a 4-0 lead to win by five runs 12-7 in game one, the Monks continued their scoring ways early in game two taking a 2-0 lead after three innings. They score one run in the second on a White double and then a botched throw on a steal attempt of third in the third inning, allowing another run to come across.

In the top of the fourth inning, the AMCATS got on the board on Genatossio's double scoring Holland and cutting the score in half, 2-1 after three and a half. The Monks answered and extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Gagne singled driving in a run and Gerossie scored later in the inning on a passed ball. After four full, Anna Maria was down three, 4-1.

It took until the sixth inning for either team to score again as the AMCATS scored another on another Genatossio hit, bringing Jakola around to score.  The 'Cats shut the Monks down once again in the bottom of the sixth, and in the top of the seventh stunned the Monks, scoring two runs to tie the game at fours on singles by Mike Toruony and Noah Holland. In the bottom of the seventh, Chambers stepped on the mound for his second inning of work and retired the Monks in order to send the game to extra innings.

In the eighth, the AMCATS threatened, getting a runner on first base when Jake Crevier reached on an error by the third baseman. After that, the AMCATS were set down and the game went to the bottom of the inning, tied at 4. In the bottom of the inning, the leadoff hitter was hit by a pitch and stole second. After that, the AMCATS intentionally walked the next two hitters to load the bases. With no outs in the inning and two strikes on the hitter, Andrew Roqriques hit the first hitter he faced to bring in the winning run for the Monks, handing them the 5-4 victory in eight innings.

The AMCATS are off the rest of the weekend and will take on the Suffolk Rams on Tuesday afternoon in a Conference double header at NEBC beginning at 3pm.