STANDISH, Maine – Seniors Kevin Davis and Griff Tewksbury each recorded RBIs in the top of the seventh to help propel Bates College baseball to a 3-1 win over Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Thursday afternoon at Larry Mahaney Field.
Six pitchers for the Bobcats (6-8) combined to hold the Monks (8-6) to five hits in the home opener for the hosts and the first game in the state of Maine for both teams.
Sophomore Rob DiFranco (Melrose, Mass.) came on with the bases loaded and notched the game's final out for his first career save after classmate Samuel Warren (Norfolk, Va.) picked up the ninth's first two outs.
First-year right-hander Anthony Telesca (Holtsville, N.Y.) allowed just one earned run over three innings in his first career start while sophomores Chris Ward (Pasadena, Calif.), Connor Colombo (Mendon, Mass.), and Mark Cunningham (Canton, Mass.) kept the Monks scoreless over the next five innings. Colombo (1-0) earned the win with two innings of one-hit relief.
St. Joseph's also used six pitchers – the group gave up three runs, all earned, on seven hits.
With the game tied 1-1 heading into the seventh, sophomore Conor Reenstierna (Lincoln, Mass.) walked to lead off the inning for the Bobcats, and junior Rockwell Jackson (Fort Worth, Texas) then reached on a fielder's choice.
After first-year right-hander Tyler Neville (Orono, Maine) induced a double play, Tewksbury (Concord, N.H.) singled to center field to bring in Reenstierna from third. Davis (North Andover, Mass.) followed with a double to left center, plating Tewksbury and giving the Bobcats their 3-1 lead.
St. Joe's notched the game's first run in the bottom of the second as senior Alex Markakis (Lynnfield, Mass.) brought home classmate Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, N.Y.) on an infield single.
The Bobcats knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth. Tewksbury led off the inning and made his way to third after an error and a ground out. Junior Nate Pajka (Douglas, Mass.) then hit a ground ball to the right side allowing Tewksbury to score on the play.
Colombo worked out of a minor jam in the last half of the sixth as junior Nic Lops (South Portland, Maine) doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball with one out before the next two Monk batters popped out.
The hosts threatened again in the bottom of the ninth – loading the bases with two outs – before DiFranco came on and struck out the first batter he faced.
Next, Bates begins a three-game series with Bowdoin tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Southern Maine Community College. The two NESCAC East Division rivals will play a doubleheader at SMCC on Sunday beginning at noon. St. Joseph's hosts Rivier for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon.
