Haas made the opening day start for the Skyhawks. (Photo Credit Saylor Murphy).

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 16, 2024) – The Stonehill College baseball team dropped its opening day doubleheader to Bethune-Cookman at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida on Friday. The Wildcats took game one 7-1, before downing the Skyhawks 12-1 in game two.

GAME ONE

Bethune-Cookman started the scoring with a bang in the bottom of the second inning as freshman Jorge Gonzalez Febo launched his first collegiate solo round-tripper over the left field fence. After the Wildcats jumped out to an early one-run lead on the scoreboard, opening-day starter Peter Haas would settle in on the mound, allowing no runs and just one hit over the next two innings. 

However, after back-to-back singles by junior Sergio Rivera and senior Colton Olasin led off the bottom half of the fifth, the Wildcats would extend their advantage with a productive inning offensively. Senior Garrett Chun would lace a two-run single through the left side of the infield to increase the Bethune-Cookman lead to 3-0. 

The Wildcats continued to light up the scoreboard, tacking two runs on the board in the sixth and eighth innings to take a commanding 7-0 lead into the ninth. Stonehill found a way to crack the scoresheet in the final frame after senior captain Blaine Lidsky led off the inning with a single and was eventually brought home to score off an RBI single with two outs from graduate student Conor Kiely. 

Despite the late effort to mount a comeback, the Bethune-Cookman lead grew too much to overcome, as the Skyhawks eventually fell by a final score of 7-1. 

GAME TWO

With a scoreless opening frame, the books, the Wildcats would open the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when junior Manny Souffrain and graduate student Jose Gonzalez were brought home to score off a pair of fielding miscues after a bunt single by Rivera.

Bethune-Cookman extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning after Gonzalez sent his first career homerun as a member of the Wildcats over the left field wall. Stonehill would respond in the top of the sixth inning with a run to cut the deficit to two. 

Junior Dylan Zemotel drew a full count walk before Kiely would move him over into scoring position with a single into right field. Senior captain Trey Ciulla-Hall followed by drawing a five-pitch walk to load the bases. In an inning filled with free passes, junior Jack Thorbahn would work the count full and draw the fourth walk of the frame, bringing home Zemotel and cutting the Wildcat lead to 3-1.

Lidsky was one of three Skyhawks to finish with a pair of hits on the day. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

However, Bethune-Cookman would respond right away in the bottom half of the sixth, tacking on three runs and extending its lead to 6-1 heading into the final three innings of play. The Wildcats pitching staff shut down the Skyhawks' bats over the last few frames, allowing just two baserunners on the defensive side while scoring six more over the final three innings to take game two by a final score of 12-1. 

INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• Haas got the start in game one where he allowed three runs on five hits over five innings of work.
• Junior Ryan Douglas had a strong performance on the mound in game two, allowing just one earned run on three hits over five innings of work with two strikeouts during his first start of the season.
• Ciulla-Hall, Kiely and Lidsky led the Skyhawks on the day with two hits each throughout the doubleheader.
• Six Skyhawks made their collegiate debuts on Friday, including Cam Morrison, Aidan Sengenberger, Ryan LeClair, Eisig Chin, Will Christopher, and Francisco Melendez.

UP NEXT

Stonehill (0-2, 0-0 NEC) rounds out play against Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla., tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.

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