NEW HAVEN, Conn. (March 18, 2023)- The Stonehill College wrapped up their first Northeast Conference series with a doubleheader at Sacred Heart University where the Skyhawks fell 13-5 in game one, and 7-4 in game two Saturday afternoon.

Game One: Stonehill 5, Sacred Heart 13

Standout Performances

• Trey Ciulla-Hall: home run
• Matthew Vivona: RBI

Key Moments

• Sacred Heart jumped on the Skyhawks early as the hosts posted a six-run first inning which featured a two-run RBI single from Tim McGuire. 
• After the Pioneers tacked on another run in the second, Stonehill grabbed one back thanks to a solo shot to left by Ciulla-Hall. The junior's home run marked his team-best, fourth on the year which places him seventh in the NEC. 
• Despite knocking the deficit to six, Sacred Heart plated six runs from the fifth to the seventh inning and increased their advantage to 12 highlighted by a two-run home run from Gino Manicchio in the bottom half of the sixth. 
• Stonehill would not go quietly as the Purple and White scored four in the eighth. Will Florio started the surge of runs in the frame after he took advantage of a throwing error that brought home Conor Kiely after he was hit by a pitch that led off the inning.
• After an RBI single from Vivona that made it 13-4, Max Martin drove in the squad's fifth run with an RBI grounder but despite the late rally, Sacred Heart got out of the inning when Jake McDowell induced a ground out.
• Although Sam Parks reached first on another Pioneers hit by pitch, the hosts shut down any momentum retiring the next batter for the opening doubleheader win.

Pitching Records

Win: Michael Boyian (2-0)

Loss: Brendan Kelly (0-4)

Game Two: Stonehill 4, Sacred Heart 7

Standout Performances

• Sam Parks: home run 
• Taylor Gaspar: home run
• Mike Swanholm: RBI

Key Moments

• In game two, Stonehill got ahead of the hosts when Parks launched a solo homer to right for his first collegiate home run and put the Skyhawks up 1-0. However, the Pioneers responded in their first at-bats when Robert Farruggio hit an RBI double that evened things at one.
• Once Sacred Heart retook the lead in the bottom of the third (2-1), the Purple and White retook the one-run lead thanks to a two-run fourth. Despite the first two batters getting out, Gaspar extended the frame when he homered to left which tied the game at two. In the next at-bat, Blaine Lidsky reached first after getting hit by a pitch and Dylan Zemotel moved Lidsky up to second after a single to left center. From there, Kiely plated the go-ahead run when he ripped an RBI single to left center which made it 3-2. 
• After Sacred Heart knotted the game at three, the hosts went ahead by two with a two-run fifth that featured an RBI double from McGuire which made it 5-3. 
• The Pioneers went on to add two more runs in the seventh thanks to an RBI double from Joe Cilea but the squad pulled within three when Swanholm hit an RBI single through the left side in the eighth and cut Sacred Heart's lead to 7-4.
• Although the Skyhawks scored late, the Pioneers retired the side in the ninth for the series sweep.

Pitching Records

Win: Jack Kramer (2-2)

Loss: Andrew Wertz (0-3)

Save: Tyler Briggs (1)

Up Next

Stonehill wraps up their season-high 14-game road trip on Tuesday, March 21 at the University of Hartford. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.