STANDISH, Maine – Hot bats have carried the Johnson & Wales University baseball team through the first two games of the GNAC Tournament. The Wildcats advanced in the winner's bracket with a 9-5 win at Saint Joseph's College on Thursday.

Records:
Saint Joseph's: 27-12
Johnson & Wales: 24-16

Statistical Leaders:
Colby Greenhalgh: 3-5, 1 R, 3 RBI
Joe Maracic: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI
Rob Ballinger: 1-3, 2 R

Of Note:
Over the last three games, the Wildcats have scored 51 runs. JWU's 24 wins are the most since the 2014 team won a program-best 29 games.

Up until the ninth inning, JWU starter Keith Grant was in complete control. He gave up four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts for his league-leading ninth win of the year that also breaks the JWU single-season record.

An error by the hosts allowed the Wildcats to score twice in the second inning. Joe Maracic scored Colby Greenhalgh with a single then crossed the plate himself on a Rich Bourdeau single.

A Vin Almalfitano ground out and Greenhalgh single scored Bourdeau and Rob Ballinger to push the JWU lead to 4-0 after five innings.

Greenhalgh came through again in the sixth and seventh innings. He scored Ballinger with another single in the sixth then his two-run double plated Raimiel Rodriguez and Amalfitano to give JWU an 8-0 advantage.

Up Next:
Johnson & Wales moves on to face the winner of the Suffolk-Lasell game at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The remainder of the tournament will be played on the SJC campus.