| Ciulla-Hall finished with a team-high four hits on the day. (Photo Credit Crystal Ayn Hagberg). |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (April 7, 2024) – The Stonehill College baseball team dropped its series closing doubleheader to Northeast Conference opponent Le Moyne College Sunday afternoon. The Skyhawks dropped game one in heartbreaking fashion, 6-5, before falling to the Dolphins in game two by a final score of 9-3.
GAME ONE: Le Moyne 6 (11-14, 7-6 NEC), Stonehill 5 (8-14, 4-7 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless opening two frames on either side, Le Moyne would open the scoring in the bottom of the third inning. Following a leadoff double off the bat of senior Jason Boule, back-to-back run-scoring singles from freshman Mike Whelehan and postgrad Zach Brush would plate the first two runs of the contest for the Dolphins. Graduate student Nick Nevins capped off the three-run half inning for Le Moyne with an RBI single into right field, scoring Brush and giving the Dolphins a 3-0 lead over the Skyhawks.
In the top of the fourth, senior catcher Blaine Lidsky would cut the Stonehill deficit to two after lifting a deep fly ball out into center field, allowing senior Trey Ciulla-Hall to come around and score after leading off the frame with a double into left center. However, in the bottom half of the fourth, Le Moyne would regain its three-run advantage after Whelehan recorded his second RBI single of the game.
Junior right fielder Taylor Gaspar showed off his power, leading off the top of the fifth inning with an opposite-field homerun over the right field wall, bringing the score to 4-2. Later in the inning, after a walk to freshman Will Christopher and hit by pitch drawn by redshirt sophomore Sam Parks, Ciulla-Hall would step up to the plate and lace a two-run double down the leftfield line, leveling the game at 4-4.
After the three-run inning put up by the Skyhawks in the fifth, both bullpens would go to work, stifling the opposition and allowing just three hits over the next three frames. In the top of the ninth, Stonehill would take its first lead of the game with two outs after an RBI single through the left side of the infield by graduate student Conor Kiely allowed pinch runner Evan Dieter to race home and score. However, the lead would not hold up for the Skyhawks in the bottom half, as a two-run walk-off homerun from graduate student Dewey Roden gave the Dolphins a narrow 6-5 win in game one over Stonehill.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- Junior Ryan Douglas got the start in game one and allowed four runs on eight hits over 6.0 innings with three strike outs.
- Sophomore Jimmy Gilleran (1-2) took the loss after allowing two runs over 2.2 innings of relief to go along with four punch outs.
- Gaspar launched his team leading fifth homerun of the season.
- Ciulla-Hall paved the way at the dish for the Skyhawks after going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.
- Senior Brady Fureno and Whelehan finished with a game-high three hits in game one for the Dolphins.
- Roden's homerun marked his second of the season for Le Moyne.
- Redshirt junior Billy Hoffacker (3-3) picked up the win after allowing just one run of 3.0 innings of relief for the Dolphins.
GAME TWO: Le Moyne 9 (12-14, 8-6 NEC), Stonehill 3 (8-15, 4-8 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Dolphins started the scoring in game two, mirroring their game one victory with a powerful fly ball that sailed over the outfield fence. In the second inning, redshirt sophomore Peter Haas swiftly recorded two outs before sophomore Brody Keneston stepped up and delivered a solo shot over the right field wall, securing an early 1-0 lead for Le Moyne.
Stonehill would respond in the top of the third to knot the game up at one apiece when Lidsky laced an RBI double into left center, scoring redshirt junior Jack Thorbahn, who reached base the batter before via a walk. However, the Dolphins would regain their slight one-run lead on the board after a run-scoring single through the middle and a fielding miscue in center allowed Brush to come around and score from second.
The game continued to be a thrilling seesaw battle in the top of the fourth, as Stonehill's junior Dylan Zemotel launched a two-run shot over the left field fence, leveling the score at 3-3. However, Le Moyne swiftly responded in the bottom half of the fourth, reclaiming their lead at 4-3 after Whelehan drove home his third run of the day with an RBI single into right field.
The Dolphins scored four runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-3 lead into the ladder portion of the series finale. Despite loading the bases in the seventh, an inning-ending double-play shut down the Skyhawk's scoring chance in the frame. Le Moyne would cap off its scoring and seal the 9-3 victory over Stonehill with a two-run round-tripper off the bat of junior Wyatt Patchett in the bottom of the seventh.
| Haas struck out a season-high eight batters in game two. (Photo Credit Crystal Ayn Hagberg). |
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- Haas (2-6) got the start on the mound and took the loss after allowing seven runs, one of them earned, over 6.0 innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.
- Senior Jordan Marot and junior Max Brulport each appeared in relief in game two.
- Lidsky and Ciulla-Hall each extended their hitting streaks to five and eight games, respectively.
- Parks improved his on-base streak to 11 games for Stonehill, while Zemotel launched his second career homerun and second of the season.
- Keneston and Patchett registered their respective second and third homeruns of the season for the Dolphins.
- Redshirt junior Jordan Goldman (4-2) picked up the win on the hill after allowing just three runs over 7.0 innings with three strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Stonehill (8-15, 4-8 NEC) returns to action on Tuesday for a midweek matchup against Holy Cross. First pitch from Fitton Field in Worcester, Mass., between the Skyhawks and Crusaders is set for 5 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.
