EASTON, Mass (March 24, 2023)- The Stonehill College baseball team kicked off its Division I home opener with a doubleheader against last season's Northeast Conference winner, Long Island University but fell 8-0 and 11-4 Friday afternoon. 

Game One: Stonehill 0, Long Island 8

Standout Performances

• Conor Kiely: two hits

Key Moments

• The Sharks recorded a single early in the first but despite the early hit, Zach Gleason retired the next three batters to get out of the inning. 
• Kiely led things off for Stonehill in the bottom half of the first with a single. However, despite the single, Long Island kept the Skyhawks at bay the rest of the frame when Alec Huertas retired the next three hitters.
• Long Island broke the scoreless tie in the third when Jack Power launched a two-run home run to right for the 2-0 advantage. 
• After grabbing another run in the fourth, the Sharks posted their second two-run inning in the fifth when both Jake Mastillo and Power crossed the plate. Later in the contest, Long Island hit their second and third homers of the day in the seventh and ninth courtesy of Mastillo. The visitors would tack on one more run in the ninth before retiring the side in the bottom of the ninth for the game one victory.

Pitching Records

Win: Alec Huerats (2-3)

Loss: Zach Gleason (0-2)

Game Two: Stonehill 4, Long Island 11

Standout Performances

• Conor Kiely: RBI, three hits
• Jack Marshall: RBI
• Blaine Lidsky: RBI
• Dennis Folan: RBI

Key Moments

• After the Sharks struck first in the second, Long Island utilized back-to-back three run innings in the fourth and fifth highlighted for a seven-run advantage. Long Island posted another multiple run inning in the sixth when the visitors tacked on two more but Stonehill cut the deficit down to six (9-3) with a three-run sixth.
• Kiely got the scoring started for the Skyhawks when the senior notched an RBI double after his deep shot to right which plated Max Martin. Later in the inning, Marshall ripped an RBI single through the left side whcih plated Kiely for the squad's second run. In the next at-bat, Lidsky found a gap in right center for an RBI single that scored Sam Parks who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
• Long Island would get one run back in the eighth but the Purple and White got a run of their own right back after an RBI single from Folan that got past the first base side. Despite grabbing a run in the inning, Ty McInnes came in and retired the next four batters and secured the doubleheader sweep.

Pitching Records

Win: Dominic Pieto (1-2)

Loss: Matt Tyman (0-2)

Up Next

Stonehill and Long Island wrap-up its three-game set tomorrow with first pitch set for 11 a.m.

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