Senior Dan Fratus went 2-for-6 with an RBI double as Stonehill split a doubleheader with Southern Connecticut today.

Skyhawks score four unanswered runs in game two victory

EASTON, Mass. (April 12, 2015) – Playing at Lou Gorman Field for the first time this season, Stonehill College rebounded from a 2-0 setback in the opener with a 4-3 comeback victory in game two to earn a doubleheader split with Southern Connecticut State University this afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference baseball action.

Senior shortstop Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Plymouth North) led the Skyhawks at the plate, going 2-for-6 with a double, one RBI and two runs. Senior catcher Eric Schneider (Camarillo, California/St. Bonaventure) went 2-for-7 with an RBI single, while classmate Christian Baglini (Milford, Connecticut/Notre Dame High) and junior Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers) added two hits each.

Senior Joe Breen (Nashua, New Hampshire/Nashua North), redshirt junior Matt Burns (Cheshire, Connecticut/Xavier) and sophomore Ethan Joyce (Exeter, New Hampshire/Exeter) powered the Southern Connecticut offense with three hits apiece, while senior Brandon Docimo (Stamford, Connecticut/Stamford) went 2-for-9 with a double and two RBI and classmate Nick Baviello (Orange, Connecticut/Amity) chipped in with two singles and one RBI.

Southern Connecticut State 2, Stonehill 0

Junior righthander Jason Harper (Saugus, Massachusetts/Northeast Metro Tech) turned in a dominant pitching performance to lead the Owls to a win in the opener, as he was one out from recording a no-hitter before Baglini singled in the bottom of the ninth.

Sophomore lefty Jeremy Roberts (Reading, Massachusetts/Malden Catholic) got the start for Stonehill but did not earn a decision after striking out three and giving up one run on seven hits through 5.1 frames.

Southern Connecticut took an early lead, as Burns led off the top of the first with a triple to right center field before scoring on a sacrifice fly by junior Jake Lieberman (Commack, New York/Commack).

The Owls would plate another run in the seventh, when senior Julian Sobin (Ansonia, Connecticut/Ansonia) singled with two outs and stole second before coming in to score on Docimo's double down the right field line.

Harper retired the first two batters in the ninth, but Baglini broke up his no-hit bid with a single to right field. Stonehill brought the potential game-tying run to the plate in junior Brian Campbell (Franklin, Massachusetts/Mount Saint Charles), but he flied out to center field to end the contest.

Stonehill 4, Southern Connecticut State 3

After being held to just one hit in the opener, the Stonehill offense produced four runs on 12 hits in game two to salvage a split.

Senior Eric Schneider drove in the game-winning run in Stonehill's 4-3 game two victory.

Freshman Pat Shore (Norwood, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) started on the mound for the Skyhawks but ran into trouble early, walking four and giving up three runs in an inning of work. Sophomore Pat Hurley (Roslindale, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) came on in relief of Shore and earned the win with an impressive performance, as he struck out four over 5.1 shutout frames. Classmate Aubrey Solomon (Groton, Massachusetts/Lawrence Academy) followed Hurley with two scoreless innings, while junior Patrick Nicholson (Middleboro, Massachusetts/Middleboro) retired the final two batters of the game to earn his first save of the season.

Southern Connecticut junior Mike Yerina (Trumbull, Connecticut/Trumbull) dropped to 1-7 with the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on nine hits through 4.2 innings.

The Owls jumped out to an early lead for the second consecutive game, scoring three times in the first with the help of four free passes and an RBI single by Docimo.

Stonehill cut into its deficit with a run in the second on an RBI groundout by freshman Isiah Nunez (Brooklyn, New York/Berkshire School), and another in the third on an RBI single by junior Brian Hocking (Duxbury, Massachusetts/BC High), before taking the lead for good with two runs in the fifth.

Campbell reached second base on an error to lead off the fifth, and scored on Fratus' RBI double to center field as Stonehill tied the score 3-3. Two batters later, Schneider put the Skyhawks ahead with an RBI single, ending Yerina's outing.

Hurley scattered hits in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but Southern Connecticut was unable to capitalize, and the Owls went down in order in the eighth and ninth.

Stonehill (17-9-1, 5-5 NE-10) will be back in action tomorrow with a 3:30 p.m. contest at Bentley University, while Southern Connecticut (13-14, 5-6 NE-10) returns home to host Adelphi University on Tuesday.

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