Endicott Overcomes St. Joseph’s Comeback to Walk Off with NCAA Victory

HARWICH, Mass. – Endicott College overcame a two-out ninth-inning comeback by St. Joseph's of Maine and walked off with a 4-3 victory over the Monks in the team's opening games of the 2013 NCAA Division III New England baseball regional. 

Endicott (33-12) got an RBI sacrifice fly from Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass.), who drove in two runs in the game, with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth to undo a two-run rally in the top of the inning by St. Joseph's (30-13) which had tied the game at three. 

The Gulls set a program record with their 33rd win this season and collect just their second NCAA Tournament win of all time and their first since the 2004 season. They will move on to the winner's bracket of the regional and will play at 8:00 pm on Thursday night against the winner of the Wheaton/Salem State matchup, while the loser of that game will meet St. Joseph's at 1:00 pm. 

Catcher EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had two hits and scored twice for the Gulls, including crossing the plate with the winning run after leading off the top of the ninth with a double to right center. 

Endicott scored single runs in the first, fourth and seventh innings, while the Monks, who were led by a 3-for-4 day by center fielder Sam Butts (Saco, Maine) managed just one run through the first eight innings, despite outhitting the Gulls 12-8. 

Senior pitcher Kevin Dupras (Belchertown, Mass.) earned the win despite blowing a save opportunity, and improved to 3-1 on the season. Dupras pitched three innings and struck out six batters, including fanning the side in the eighth to keep the game a 3-1 affair at the time. 

The Monks finally put Dupras on the ropes in the ninth, as he issued two walks with one out to start the frame. Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, Mass.) delivered a single to left field to load the bases and with two outs and two strikes, catcher Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) tied the game with a two-run hit to left center, which scored Butts and Zack Graham (Marlborough, Mass.).

Endicott junior Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.) set the tempo for Endicott early, leading off the game with an infield single and stealing second before coming around to score on a single by Oringer, coupled with an error by Butts. 

Endicott doubled their advantage in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single down the left field line by designated hitter Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.), who had two hits in the game. 

The Monks, who left twelve men on base, were able to plate a run in the top of the sixth with two runners on and nobody out. A bunt by second baseman Brandon Chase (Naples, Maine) rolled down the first base line and stayed fair, and this time St. Joe's cashed in to cut the deficit in half when left fielder Taylor Reuillard (Biddeford, Maine) delivered a single to right field to score Coyne, who had two hits and two RBIs in the game as well. 

Endicott tacked on a third run in the seventh with singles by Lemke and Martinez to open the frame. After a fielder's choice and a hit by pitch, Oringer beat out the back end of a potential double-play to reach on a fielder's choice and allow Martinez to score in the back door. 

St. Joseph's junior Joe Gruntkosky (Peabody, Mass.) was tagged with the loss, allowing the one earned run on two walks and a hit, falling to 5-4 on the year. 

Endicott starter Tyler Hitchcock (Abington, Mass.) tossed five and a third innings and gave up just one run, despite allowing eight hits. Hitchcock walked one batter and also fanned one. 

St. Joseph starter Tyler Laverriere (Biddeford, Maine) worked the first six and a third innings and was charged with three runs, two of them earned. Laverriere scattered six hits and issued three walks while collecting five strikeouts.