Ciulla-Hall delivered a two-run homer and added a double while driving in three for the Skyhawks today (PHOTO BY Crystal Ayn Photography)

Will's leadoff home run in the sixth pushes Knights in front for good

TEANECK, N.J. (March 16, 2024) – Senior Zack Will belted a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth inning that put FDU in the lead for good on its way to a 7-5 victory over Stonehill College in the middle game of a three-game Northeast Conference weekend baseball series at Naimoli Complex this afternoon.

Will finished 1-for-2 at the plate for FDU with his first career home run and two RBI. Postgrad Justin Sierra hit 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth that stretched the Knights lead to two runs, adding a double and run scored. Sophomore Franklin Gomez, Jr. drove in three in a 1-for-5 day at the plate, while senior Brelon Harden was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI.

Postgrad Joey Kosowsky earned the win (1-4) on the mound for FDU, yielding four earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and three walks over six innings. Sophomore Luke Russo pinned down his first save of the season to seal the win for the Knights, working around a two-out single and striking out one in a two scoreless innings of work.

Senior Trey Ciulla-Hall again paced the Stonehill batters going 2-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBI. Junior Jack Thorbahn hit 3-for-5 with a double, while classmate Taylor Gaspar delivered a game-tying two-run home run in two at bats for the Skyhawks. Postgrad Conor Kiely and senior Blaine Lidsky each finished 2-for-5 at the plate for Stonehill.

Thorbahn was 3-for-5 with a double this afternoon (PHOTO BY Crystal Ayn Photography)

Sophomore Jimmy Gilleran took the loss (1-1) on the mound for the Skyhawks, allowing two earned runs on two hits with a strike out and two walks in relief of junior starter Zach Gleason who allowed four earned runs on three hits and four walks over four innings with five strikeouts. Stonehill pitching would walk seven total, with two hit batters, on the afternoon.

How it Happened

• FDU grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second when postgrad Brian Sanders walked, advanced to second when Gomez, Jr., was caught trying to steal third and then came home on a single to center from Harden.
• Ciulla-Hall gave Stonehill the lead in the top of the third inning with his first home run of the year with two out after sophomore Sam Parks drew a walk.
• FDU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third when Gomez, Jr. delivered a two-run single to right with the bases loaded and one out. Will followed with a sacrifice fly to left that scored D'Amato, who had walked prior to the Gomez, Jr., single, for a 4-2 lead.
• Gaspar knotted the score in the top of the sixth with a pinch-hit two-run homer that scored freshman Ryan LeClair who had extended the inning with a two-out walk.
• Will led off the home half of the sixth with his first career home run in his 56^th game played to push FDU back in front and then Sierra followed with an RBI single to right with two out that scored postgrad Ben Avila, who reached with a one-out walk.
• Stonehill closed back within a run (6-5) in the seventh as Parks led off with a triple to left center and scored on a Ciulla-Hall ground out.

• Gaspar's second home run of the season knotted the score at 4-4 in the sixth (PHOTO BY Crystal Ayn Photography)

  FDU added an insurance run in the eighth with postgrad Joan Sosa drawing a one-out walk, stealing second and then advancing to third on a wild pitch, before coming home when Gomez, Jr., reached on an error.

Noteworthy

• Ciulla-Hall's first home run of the season is the 14^th of his career, with the three RBI giving him nine for the season. He has a hit in eight of Stonehill's 11 games this season, posted his seventh multi-hit game.
• Thorbahn bounced back from a hitless Friday with his fourth multi-hit game of the season, having collected seven hits in three games so far this week.
• Kiely has now hit safely in five-straight with four consecutive multi-hit games after starting the year 4-for-28 (.143) by hitting 8-for-20 (.400) over the last five games.
• Gaspar's second home run of the season matches Thorbahn for the team lead and is the tenth of his career in 91 games.
• Lidsky posted his fourth multi-hit game of the season.

Up Next

Stonehill (4-7, 0-2 NEC) and FDU (5-12, 3-2 NEC) close out their three game weekend NEC series at Naimoli Complex on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks home opener is now scheduled for next weekend when it opens a three-game NEC weekend series with Sacred Heart University at Lou Gorman Field on Friday, March 22, at 3 p.m.

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