Stonehill Quiets Assumption, 5-1

Pitching

Win: Zach Soulier (2-0)
Loss: Ben Hastings (0-1)

Batting

Stonehill
2B: Rich McHugh
3B: none
HR: none
Assumption University
2B: Shane Keddy 2
3B: none
HR: Travis Smith
full stats

Freshman lefthander Zach Soulier improved to 2-0 in his first collegiate start this afternoon.

Soulier notches second win of season in first collegiate start

WORCESTER, Mass. (March 23, 2011) – Stonehill College, ranked fifth in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II East Regional poll, picked up its fifth-straight win with a 5-1 decision over Assumption College in non-conference baseball action at H.L. Rocheleau Field this afternoon.
Freshman lefhander Zach Soulier (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) picked up his second win of the season (2-0) in his first collegiate start for Stonehill as he allowed just an earned run on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks over six innings. Sophomore Charles DeFrancesco (Lincoln, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury), junior Michael Von Stein (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) and senior Brenden Shepard (Boxford, Conn./Masconomet) combined to close the game out with an inning of scoreless release apiece.

Senior Angelo Bruno (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) had multiple hits for Stonehill as he finished 2-for-5. Sophomore James DeAlto (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./Briarcliff) was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, a stolen base, run scored and RBI. Senior Nick Nardacci (Bethlehem, N.Y./Bethlehem) hit 1-for-4 with a stolen base and RBI, while junior Kyle Shepard (Boxford, Mass./Masconomet) batted 1-for-3 with a stolen base and run scored. Junior Rich McHugh (Pembroke, Mass./Thayer Academy) chipped in with a double and run scored.


Sophomore James DeAlto was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, an RBI, run scored and stolen base.

Junior Travis Smith (Coventry, R.I./Bishop Hendricken) led Assumption as he hit 2-for-4 with a home run. Sophomore Shane Keddy (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Tech) was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, while junior Tim Quinn (Paxton, Mass./Saint John's) and freshman Billy Derosiers (Shrewsbury, Mass./Holy Name) both finished 1-for-3.

Junior righthander Ben Hastings (Norton, Mass./Norton) took the loss (0-1), allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits with a strikeout and walk over three innings.

Stonehill jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings with the benefit of just two hits. Senior Scott Hackett (Bangor, Maine/Bangor) reached on a fielder's choice in the top of the first and came around to score with the help of two wild pitches from Hastings. The Skyhawks added two unearned runs in the second as Shepard has an infield single, stole second and scored when Nardacci reached on an error. Sophomore Michael Zeiner (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a delayed steal of home.

Stonehill extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth as DeAlto drew a one out walk, stole second and scored on an infield single by Nardacci after advancing to third on a wild pitch. Assumption got a run back when Smith led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his second home run of the season. Stonehill rounded out the scoring in the eighth as McHugh led off with a double and then scored on a single to right by DeAlto.

Stonehill (12-5, 0-0 NE-10) is scheduled to open its home schedule on Friday with a non-conference doubleheader against Post University starting at 1 p.m. Assumption (3-10, 0-0 NE-10) is slated to visit Southern New Hampshire University for an NE-10 doubleheader on Saturday at noon.