Karalis launches walk-off homer in game two, posts a .714 average on the afternoon

Sophomore Billy Karalis powered the Skyhawks offensively with three homers and seven runs batted in.

EASTON, Mass. (April 1, 2012) – Sophomore right fielder Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) fell a single shy of the cycle in game one and crushed two home runs in game two, including the walk-off homer, and knocked in seven runs total to lead Stonehill College, ranked fourth overall in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) East Regional Poll, to a doubleheader sweep over Saint Michael's College, 14-4 and 7-6 (ten innings), on Sunday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field in Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) Northeast Division action.

Karalis went 5-for-7 combined between both games posting a .714 batting average to go along with five runs scored, one double and one triple. The sophomore also compiled an .818 on-base percentage and a 2.429 slugging percentage on the afternoon.

Stonehill 14, Saint Michael's 4

Senior left-handed pitcher Eric Haughn (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke) improved to 3-1 on the season throwing five innings, giving up four hits, two runs (both earned), five walks and four strikeouts. Senior right-hander Brendan Wright (Easton, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) pitched one inning in relief with one walk and one punchout.

Junior Collin Fishman (Bethesda, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) was handed the loss (0-4) on three innings pitched, four hits, five runs (five earned), five walks and five strikeouts.

Stonehill erased a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the third inning with a three-run frame as senior first baseman Michael White (Lisbon, N.H./Lisbon Regional) lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield plating freshman third baseman Dan Pidgeon (Darien, Conn./Darien) along with bases loaded walks from Karalis and senior left fielder Michael Magnussen (Carver, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy).

White pushed the Skyhawks advantage to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two-run single through the right side of the infield driving in junior centerfielder James DeAlto (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./Briarcliff) and Pidgeon.

In the fifth, Karalis led off the frame with a solo homer to left centerfield, his first of three home runs in the doubleheader, to give Stonehill a 6-2 lead.

The Purple Knights trimmed their gap in half at 6-3 in the sixth inning as sophomore second baseman Tyler Wild (Quaker Hill, Conn./Saint Bernard School) smacked a RBI triple to right centerfield bringing home senior Tim McDonnell (Durham, N.H./Oyster River) who notched an infield single earlier in the frame.

Karalis delivered the knockout hit in the bottom of the sixth, a two-run triple to right centerfield, and also scored on a passed ball to make it 9-3.

The Skyhawks added five more runs in the eighth inning highlighted by Pidgeon's two-run single to left field, Billy Horobin's (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) RBI single to right center and White's run-producing infield single to short.

Freshman Jim Duff pitched four shutout innings in game two to help Stonehill claim its sweep over Saint Michael's.

Stonehill 7, Saint Michael's 6 (ten innings)

Freshman Jim Duff (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) picked up his second win of the season (2-0) in relief for the Skyhawks hurling four shutout innings, yielding two hits, no walks and four strikeouts. Classmate Armand Rugel (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) was handed the no-decision on six innings pitched, eight hits, six runs (five earned), two walks and three strikeouts.

For Saint Michael's, sophomore Nick Myers (Canton, Conn./The Master's School) suffered the loss on three-and-one-thirds innings, two hits, two runs (all earned), one walk and one punchout. Purple Knights starter Austin Ziskie (Chevy Chase, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) landed the no-decision over six innings of work, eight hits, five runs (all earned), one walk and five strikeouts.

Trailing 6-0 after three full innings, Stonehill rallied over the next seven innings to complete the comeback victory and earn the doubleheader sweep.

The Skyhawks made it 6-1 in fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to right field from senior designated hitter Steven Popp (Unionville, Conn./Farmington) and tacked on three more runs in the fifth as Pidgeon connected for a RBI single to centerfield while White delivered a two-run triple to left center.

Karalis smashed his second of three home runs on the day to deep right centerfield in the sixth inning to cut into the deficit at 6-5.

In the seventh inning, the Skyhawks evened the score, 6-6, as Karalis drew a bases loaded walk driving in White who singled earlier in the frame.

Karalis ended the contest in the tenth sending a Myers' breaking pitch over the fence down the right field line, his third RBI of the game.

Sophomore second baseman Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a 4-for-10 performance at the plate, combined, between both games in the doubleheader.

Stonehill (18-9, 6-3 NE-10, 3-1 Northeast Division) hosts Bentley University on Tuesday, April 3 in a single game NE-10 matchup beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saint Michael's (4-13, 1-7 NE-10, 0-4 Northeast Division) hosts Saint Anselm College on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.