March 6

Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score

Saint Joseph's College of Maine took advantage of some sloppy Northland College defense in the first game to win 9-5 and added three late runs to win an identical 9-5 score in game two at the Russ Matt Invitational in Port Charlotte, FL.

The Monks, coming of two straight 30-win seasons, moved to an even 2-2 on the season while the LumberJacks dropped to 1-5.

With one out in the top of the first, Mike Stevens reached on an error.  After advancing to third on a groundout, he scored on another error off the bat of Cody Carroll.

The Jacks returned the favor in the bottom half of the inning in the tune of two errors.  Problem for Northland is that it led to two unearned runs and a 2-1 deficit.

In the third, Bryce Szymanski led off with a double down the right field line and then was sacrificed to third by Stevens.  Matt Tanneberg's single to center plated Szymanski and tied the game at 2-2.  St. Joe's grabbed the lead back as they scored one in the bottom half of the third.

Poor fielding once again by Northland in the fourth sparked a four-run outburst by the Monks off of starter Will Opdyk.  After the first two batters reached on hits and then advanced a base on a passed ball, Northland induced a ground out with the infield playing in.  The next hitter hit a line drive up the middle that glanced off Stevens glove at second.  What could have produced an inning ending double play, enabled the Monks inning to continue and eventually score four runs, only two of which were earned.

Northland (1-6) got one back in the fifth to make the score 7-3 after Carroll's run-scoring double to right center scored Szymanski, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

After St. Joe's scored two more in the bottom of the fifth, The Jacks scored two runs on two hits in the seventh.  After Tanneberg walked to start the inning, Carroll followed with a triple to right center.  Chris Steiner's ground out to short scored Carroll for the final run of the game.

Carroll went 2-4 with the double and triple and also the two runs batted in.  Five other Jacks had at least one hit on the afternoon.  Opdyk threw well despite being hampered by a sore groin by going 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and nine runs.  Only five runs were earned as four errors cost Northland opportunities to get out of innings with no or minimal damage.  He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

In game two, St. Joe's jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first.  Northland evened it up after Bryce Szymanski, who walked to lead off, scored on Matt Tanneberg's fielder's choice.

The Monks opened up a 4-1 lead in the second as they plated three runs on four hits off of Szymanski.  Northland pulled within 4-3 as they scored two runs on two hits in the third.  Szymanksi and Mike Stevens both reached to start to inning.  Tanneberg doubled down the fight field line to score Szymanski.  After an intentional walk to Cody Carroll and two outs, Corey Stibbe brought the Jacks within one as his ground ball with through the left side scored Stevens.

St. Joe's (3-2) got the two runs back in the fifth on Luke Enman's inside the park homerun.  The LumberJacks added two more in the sixth. Casey Frantz led off with a walk and advanced to second on a balk.  Szymanksi's base hit to right scored Frantz and made the score 6-4.  Carroll capped a great afternoon by driving home Stevens later in the evening after he reached on a fielder's choice.  The Monks, like they did in the first game, capitalized on Jack's errors.  They scored three runs, only two of which were earned, in the top of the seventh to take a commanding 9-5 lead.

Carroll went a perfect 3-3, with an RBI and went 5-7 in the two games.  Stibbe had two hits for Northland while Tanneberg led the team with two RBI's.