Kiely opened the scoring after racing home from third on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning. (Photo Credit Crystal Ayn Hagberg).

DOVER, De. (May 4, 2024) – The Stonehill College baseball team dropped its Northeast Conference series finale to Delaware State University, 17-12, Saturday afternoon. With the loss, the Skyhawks drop to 16-24 overall and 11-13 in conference play, while the Hornets improve to 16-23 overall and 15-12 against conference opponents.  

HIGHLIGHTS

• Freshman Ryan LeClair finished the day driving home a team-best three runs for the Skyhawks.
• Senior classmates Blaine Lidsky and Jack Marshall, along with graduate student Conor Kiely each tallied a pair of runs batted in for Stonehill.
• Five Skyhawks finished with two hits on the afternoon, including redshirt sophomore Sam Parks, senior Trey Ciulla-Hall, Kiely, Lidsky, and Marshall.
• Sophomore Jimmy Gilleran (2-4) took the loss for the Skyhawks after allowing six runs over 2.0 innings of work.
• Senior Jancarlos Colon and freshman Jaryn Sample paved the way at the plate for Delaware State with three hits each.
• Senior Krew Bouldin launched two homeruns for the Hornets.
• Sophomore Kieran Etwaru (6-0) picked up the win on the mound after striking out six batters over 4.2 innings for Delaware State.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Kiely opened the scoring for the Skyhawks in the opening frame, as after reaching base via a double down the third-base line, he was moved over 90 feet away from home with a fly ball out to right off the bat of Ciulla-Hall. With redshirt junior Jack Thorbahn up to bat with two outs in the inning, Delaware State starter, Etwaru, threw a wild pitch and allowed Kiely to race home and score the game's opening run.

The game took a turn in the bottom of the second. After two scoreless half-innings, Krew Bouldin from the Hornets stepped into the box and hit a solo homerun over the right field wall, leveling the game at one. Delaware State added five more runs in the second to take a 6-1 lead on the scoreboard.

In the top of the fourth inning, Stonehill began to chip away at the Hornet's lead, plating a pair of runs off a two-run single by Kiely through the right side of the infield, scoring both LeClair and Parks. Just one inning later, after Delaware State extended its lead to 7-3 in the bottom half of the fourth, LeClair would step up to the dish with the bases loaded and send a three-run double into left field, cutting the Skyhawks deficit to just one run midway through the series finale. 

Two RBI singles in the bottom of the fifth inning from sophomore Evan Bouldin and Sample, followed by a two-run round-tripper by Krew Bouldin, gave the Hornets a commanding 12-6 lead heading into the sixth.

Stonehill would respond and bring the game back within four runs after plating a pair in the sixth and eighth innings off an RBI double by junior Taylor Gaspar and a solo homerun by Ciulla-Hall. However, five runs in the bottom half of the eighth, fueled by bases-loaded walks and a hit-by-pitch, would increase the Delaware State advantage to 17-8 heading into the final frame.

Despite a strong effort from the Skyhawks to mount a comeback, scoring four runs in the ninth inning, the Hornet's lead proved too much to overcome, as Delaware State walked away victorious by a final score of 17-12.

INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

Ciulla-Hall belted his team-leading 11th homerun of the season in the eighth. (Photo Credit Crystal Ayn Hagberg).

• Stonehill's 12 runs marked the 13th time the Skyhawks have reached double digits in runs scored this season.
• Ciulla-Hall launched his team-leading 11th homerun of the season in the eighth inning. 
• Ciulla-Hall and Gaspar each improved their on-base streaks to 23 and 26 games, respectively, while Parks and junior Dylan Zemotel have now each reached base in 15 consecutive games.  
• Marshall is now riding a six-game hitting streak after finishing the day 2-for-6 with a triple and two RBI.
• Senior classmates Tim Cotter and Joe Castrichini as well as postgrad Billy Duff, sophomore Pierce Friedman and redshirt freshman Jake Lanzer each appeared in relief for the Skyhawks.

UP NEXT

Stonehill (16-24, 11-13 NEC) returns to action on Wednesday for non-conference midweek matchup against the University of Massachusetts. First pitch from Lou Gorman Field between the Skyhawks and Minutemen is set for 3:30 p.m.

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