NASHUA, N.H. – Sam Butts led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a walk and scored on a two-out single by Joe Coyne as second-seeded St. Joseph’s rallied for a 7-6 win over No. 3 Suffolk to clinch the championship in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament on Sunday afternoon at Holman Stadium.

The Monks (28-11) overcame a 6-1 deficit in the title game after the Rams (28-11) beat them 7-2 earlier Sunday. Suffolk needed two wins against St. Joseph’s, which was previously unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament.

The Monks tied it with three runs in the ninth. Brandon Chase hit an RBI double, Alex Markakis added an RBI single and Chase scored the tying run on an error after the hit.

Chad Rafferty struck out six while closing the game with 21/3 scoreless innings for the win.

USM SWEEPS WESTERN CONNECTICUT: Nick Grady went 4 for 4 with two RBI and three runs scored and Jake Glauser homered and drove in five runs as the Huskies (29-6, 11-1 Little East) completed a sweep of the Colonials (13-21, 3-9) with a 15-2, seven-inning win in the second game of a doubleheader at Danbury, Conn.

In the opener, John Carey and Matt Verrier each homered and combined for five RBI and five runs scored in a 10-0 win for the Huskies, who clinched a first-place finish in the conference.

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Tyler Leavitt struck out five in eight innings to earn the win.

HARTFORD 1, MAINE 0: Sean Newcomb threw a four-hitter and James Alfonso homered in the top of the eighth inning to lift the Hawks (14-27, 11-10 America East) over the Black Bears (25-17, 14-6) at Orono.

Maine starter Mike Connolly gave up just three hits and two walks while striking out five in a complete game.

PLYMOUTH ST. SWEEPS COLBY: Alec Finigan and Tyler Starks each had two hits for the Mules (9-20) in a 6-2 loss to the Panthers (19-18) in the opener of a doubleheader at Waterville.

In Game 2, Christopher Sonberg hit a pinch two-run single to account for the only Colby runs in a 4-2 loss.

SOFTBALL

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ST. JOSEPH’S 8, SUFFOLK 0: Kayla Vannah struck out three and walked one in a four-hitter, and the No. 4 Monks (33-9) scored eight runs in the first inning to beat the eighth-seeded Rams (16-25) at West Hartford, Conn. and win the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament for the third straight year.

Danielle Shufelt led off the game with an infield single and capped the inning with a three-run triple. Theresa Hendrix added a two-run single.

St. Joseph’s will begin play in the NCAA tournament on May 9.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY 7, MAINE 1: Megan Volpano had three hits and drove in three to lead the Terriers (20-23-1, 7-6 America East) over the Black Bears (7-37, 3-12) at Boston

Emj Fogel led off the game with a double for the Black Bears and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jean Stevens.


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