Mashpee, Mass. native collects award after complete game effort against Mercy

EASTON, Mass. (March 17, 2014) – Stonehill College junior Neal Horan (Mashpee, Mass./BC High) has been named the Northeast-10 Conference Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career, it was announced today by the league office.

Horan posted the first complete game performance of his career last Friday in Stonehill's 2-1 extra inning victory over Mercy College. He pitched all eight innings of the contest, which was the second of two scheduled seven-inning games between Stonehill and Mercy in Fort Pierce, Florida. Horan allowed just one unearned run on two hits while striking out seven and walking two.

The junior retired the side in order in every inning except the first, third, and fourth frames. In the first, he walked a batter with one out before inducing an inning-ending double play. Two innings later, Horan allowed a leadoff single before retiring the next three batters, including two strikeouts. Mercy scored its only run of the contest in the fourth inning, as the leadoff batter walked, advanced to second on a passed ball, and eventually came around to score on a single. Stonehill scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a successful squeeze play by senior outfielder Billy Karalis.

Horan is 1-1 in three starts this season, and has allowed five runs (three earned) on 13 hits in 18 innings of work. He is tied for the team lead with 17 punchouts and has also handed out five walks. Horan did not earn a decision in his first start of the season, a game Stonehill won 4-2 over Molloy College on February 22^nd. In that game, he went five innings and gave up one run on four hits while striking out five and walking one. The next time out, Horan took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits in five innings against the University of Bridgeport.

As a sophomore last season, Horan went 2-3 in ten starts with an earned run average of 2.88 in 65.2 innings pitched. He also registered 49 strikeouts to go with 29 walks. Horan lasted at least five innings in each of his ten starts last season, including three starts with seven innings pitched and one 8+ inning effort. He also held opponents to three runs or fewer in six of his ten starts.

Stonehill (10-5, 0-0 NE-10), ranked fifth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region Poll that was released today, will open its 2014 home and Northeast-10 slate on Wednesday against Bentley University. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at Lou Gorman Field.

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