STANDISH, Maine — The Saint Joseph’s College baseball team is kicking off the 2023 campaign with eight games in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, beginning with a 9:15 a.m. game against Aurora University on Sunday.
Aurora, who posted a 36-11 record last spring, is the first of three 2022 NCAA tournament qualifiers the Monks face on consecutive days to complete the spring 2023 trip as singles games against St. John Fisher (3/6 ) and Immaculata to begin (3/7) follow. In what may be the team’s most challenging spring trip list in a few years, St. Joe’s will also play Mount Union and Loras College in Doubleheader on March 9-10, and cap out the week-long trip with a single game at Grove City on March 11.
Overall, the Monks’ six RussMatt opponents posted a record 179-85 (.678) in 2022.
Overall, Saint Joseph’s will face six programs that advanced to the NCAA tournament last spring, as the Royal Blues also played against #9 Endicott, Husson and two-time reigning Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champions Johnson & Wales during the tournament. will compete in the 2023 season.
Head Coach Will Sanborn ’86 begins his 31st season at the helm of the Monks with a career-record 799-421-5 (.654) and ranks 13th among active NCAA DIII coaches in wins and 34th in Regarding the win rate. Only one New England skipper — USM head coach Ed Flaherty (1,098 wins in 37 seasons) — has more wins than Coach Sanborn, who will become the 27th DIII baseball coach to reach 800 wins as the 2023 season begins.
After eight games in Florida, the Monks return to New England, playing doubleheaders at WPI (3/18) and Clark University (3/19). The SJC home opener is scheduled for Saturday March 25 when the Monks host Norwich University in a GNAC twinbill from 1pm. Stay tuned to www.gomonks.com for weather and field related schedule changes.
GAMES TO SEE:
March 21 in Endicott: The Monks travel to Beverly, Mass. to take on the Gulls of Endicott College, currently ranked ninth nationally in the weekly poll by D3baseball.com/NCBWA. Endicott enjoyed a record-breaking 2022 season as the Gulls went to a 40-10 record, won the CCC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals for the first time after winning the SUNY Cortland Regional. These teams last met at Larry Mahaney Diamond on March 22, 2022 when the Gulls defeated the Royal Blues 6-2 to end a three-game losing streak against the Monks.
April 5 in Southern Maine: Picked as favorites to win the 2023 Little East Conference title, the Huskies are typically one of the strongest programs in New England, holding an all-time 51-16 record against the Monks. The state rivals have traded shutout performances for the past two seasons as the Monks’ last win came on May 7th.
April 23 in Johnson & Wales: The Wildcats summarily ended the Monks’ 2022 campaign in Game 2 of the GNAC Championship at Mahaney Diamond on May 8 after St. Joe’s won a winner take-all with a 6-2 win. The first competition on “Championship Sunday” forced competition. The Monks have definitely circled that date on the calendar for the two GNAC games that will almost certainly have a major impact on the 2023 tournament picture.
SCHEDULE SYNOPSIS:
DEEP LOOK AT THE 2023 SCHEDULE/OPPOSERS:
Total Games: 40 Home/Away/Neutral: 15/17/8 Total Opponent Record in 2022: 481-461 (.511) Monks vs. Enemies All-Time Record 2023: 421-205 (.673) All Monks – Time Composite Score vs. 2023 Foes: 4170-2799 Longest Current Winning Streak vs. 2023 Opponents: Rivier (27) Longest Current Losing Streak vs. 2023 Opponents: St. John Fisher & Clark University (3) 2022 NCAA Tournament Teams in 2023 Schedule: Aurora , St. John Fisher, Immaculata, Endicott, Husson, Johnson & Wales First Opponents in 2023 Schedule: Immaculata, Grove City 2023 GNAC Tournament Dates: May 2nd (Round 1), May 4th (Quarterfinals), May 6th ( Semifinals), May 7 (Championship) 2023 NCAA Tournament Dates: May 19 – June 7
