Jimmy Liberatore hit a monster grand slam as the Saints scored eight runs in the top of the first in today's game and never looked back as the St. Lawrence University baseball team defeated cross-town SUNY Canton 22-6 on Thursday afternoon at Tom Fay Field.

The Scarlet and Brown improved to 15-14 with the win, while the Roos fell to 9-26 with the loss.

Liberatore had four RBI with his long home run. He was followed by Brian Comerford, and the Courtwright brothers, who all had two RBI. Dylan Barber pitched three innings and earned the win after giving up just three hits and striking out three.

The fireworks started in the top of the first, where the Saints worked their way to bases loaded after drawing two walks and a hit by pitch. The clean-up hitter Liberatore was up next and did just that as the junior smoked a fastball over the outfield fence for a grand slam and an early 4-0 lead for St. Lawrence.

The inning kept rolling along with an Andrew Circelli double and a Jake Delaney walk. St. Lawrence was able to score another run on a throwing error with no outs away. The Roos finally got an out but shortly after the Saints scored three runs as Comerford drove in his first run of the day followed by a throwing error score and a sacrifice fly by the bat of Chris Watson, who was batting for his second time in the inning.



St. Lawrence scored again in the second inning, then got two more in the third as Liberatore scored on an error followed by an RBI triple from Delaney in the next at-bat. The Roos jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the third as Frank Nieto hit a two-run home run. Canton scored again two at-bats later as Noah Reyes slapped an RBI double down the left field line.

The Saints got back to work in the fourth inning as Daniel Verrastro hit a sacrifice fly, that was followed by a Timothy Connor RBI single to make it 13-3. In the fifth, the Scarlet and Brown grew the lead with another Comerford RBI single and a Ryan Courtwright two-RBI single.

The Saints scored for their sixth straight inning to make it a 19-3 game. Following Caleb Clark and Jackson Brinker singles, Evan Burke doubled to left field. Then, Brinker came running home after a wild pitch to score another.

In the top of the eighth, St. Lawrence got to the 20 run mark as Drew Courtwright fired off a two run single, before Huck Haun scored to make it 22-3.

The Roos were able to strike again in the bottom of the eighth as Mather was able to clear his two teammates off the base paths with a long home run to left field. However, that was as close as SUNY Canton would come the rest of the way as the Saints arms shut down the game.

Barber earned the win in the game after pitching three innings abd was relieved by Joe Perras, who pitched three innings of one-hit ball, striking out two and allowing just one hit. Jared Brenner picthed two innings out of the pen following Perras, then Brenden O'Neil came in to pitch the ninth and close the contest.

The Scarlet and Brown will be back in action on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m. as the Saints welcome Skidmore College to town for a doubleheader. Preceding the twin bill, the St. Lawrence University baseball team will honor the 11 members of its Class of 2022.