EASTON, Mass. (May 16, 2025) – The Stonehill College baseball team closed out its regular season on Friday afternoon with a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader against Long Island University at Lou Gorman Field. LIU claimed both games, taking the opener 8-3 and completing the sweep with an 11-8 victory in game two. With the results, Stonehill concludes the regular season with an overall record of 20-30, including an 18-12 mark in NEC play. LIU, meanwhile, secured the NEC Regular Season title, finishing 32-21 overall and 24-6 in conference competition.
Prior to the start of game one, Stonehill honored its six graduating seniors and their families in a pregame ceremony. Seniors Ryan Douglas, Sam Parks, Max Brulport, Jack Thorbahn, Dylan Zemotel, and Taylor Gaspar each appeared in their final regular season home game as Skyhawks.
GAME ONE: Long Island 8 (31-21, 23-6 NEC), Stonehill 3 (20-29, 18-11 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After three scoreless innings from both starting pitchers—junior Jimmy Gilleran for Stonehill and junior Justin DeCastro for LIU—offenses were limited to just three combined hits. The Skyhawks broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth inning when sophomore Grayson Sparr launched a no-doubt solo home run over the left field fence, giving Stonehill a 1-0 lead.
LIU responded swiftly in the top of the fifth, taking control of the game with a three-run frame. Graduate student Jacob Pipercic tied the game with an RBI single, followed by a two-run single from junior Ryan Rivera to give the Sharks a 3-1 advantage.
Pipercic added to the lead in the sixth, belting a two-run home run to left field to push LIU ahead 5-1. Stonehill battled back, plating runs in the sixth and eighth innings on RBI singles from Gaspar and sophomore Ryan LeClair, respectively, narrowing the deficit to 5-3 heading into the ninth.
However, LIU put the game out of reach in the top of the final inning, tacking on three insurance runs to secure an 8-3 victory in the opening game of the doubleheader.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- LeClair led the Skyhawks in game one, going 3-for-4 with one RBI, extending his on-base streak to 25 games.
- Sparr registered his 16th multi-hit game of the season in game one, going 2-for-5 with a double and a home run.
- Gilleran took the loss on the mound after allowing three runs over 5.0 innings of work, during which time he struck out five batters.
- Junior Jake Lanzer struck out four over 2.2 innings of relief for Stonehill.
- DeCastro earned his eighth win of the season after holding the Skyhawks to two runs over 7.0 innings of work, during which he struck out four.
- Redshirt senior Evan Panjwani secured his fourth save for the Sharks following his 2.0 innings of relief.
- Rivera and redshirt junior Jarod Wade led LIU in game one, combing to go 6-for-7 at the dish with three RBI and two runs scored.
GAME TWO: Long Island 11 (32-21, 24-6 NEC), Stonehill 8 (20-30, 18-12 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Freshman Hunter Bell got off to a strong start for Stonehill, striking out two batters and holding LIU hitless in the opening inning. The Skyhawks quickly capitalized on the momentum, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame when Thorbahn delivered an RBI single to right field, scoring Parks.
The Sharks responded immediately in the top of the second, tying the game at 1-1 with an RBI single to right-center by graduate student Max Samson.
In the bottom of the second, Parks reclaimed the lead for Stonehill with a line-drive solo home run over the right-field porch—his first collegiate homer at Lou Gorman Field. The milestone swing also placed him among just 10 Division I players nationwide with at least 50 runs, 50 hits, and 50 walks this season.
The back-and-forth battle continued into the third inning, as LIU erupted for four runs to take a 5-2 lead. The rally was fueled by back-to-back RBI singles from Rivera, and redshirt sophomore Noah Sorenson, followed by a two-run single from senior Joe Durso.
LIU added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend its advantage to 7-2, but Stonehill responded with a surge of its own. Thorbahn sparked the comeback with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Then, in a momentum-shifting seventh inning, the Skyhawks plated four more runs—highlighted by a two-run single from junior Aidan Cohall, another RBI single by Thorbahn, and a passed ball that allowed Sparr to score—giving Stonehill a brief 8-7 lead.
However, LIU struck back in the eighth, regaining control with a two-run single from Samson and a two-run double by Durso, pushing the Sharks ahead 11-8. Despite getting runners aboard in both the eighth and ninth innings, Stonehill was unable to mount a final rally, falling in game two and completing the doubleheader sweep for LIU.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- Parks became the first player in Stonehill Division I history and the 10th Division I player in the country to achieve the feat of 50 runs, 50 hits, and 50 walks in a single season after coming around three times to score and registering his fourth homerun of the season in game two.
- Thorbahn launched his NEC-leading 16th homerun of the season in game two, in addition to going 3-for-5 with one run scored and four driven in.
- LeClair increased his on-base streak to 26 consecutive games, while Cohall tallied his team-leading 22nd multi-hit game of the season.
- Freshman Josh Florence struck out two batters and held LIU to one earned run and one hit over 2.1 innings of relief.
- Redshirt sophomore Nicholas Finarelli got the start on the mound in game two where he struck out a game-high seven for the Sharks over 6.0 innings of work.
UP NEXT
Stonehill (20-30, 18-12 NEC) returns to action on Thursday, traveling to Wappinger Falls, New York to match up with the top-seeded LIU Sharks in the opening game of the NEC Championship Tournament. First pitch from Heritage Financial Park between the Skyhawks and Sharks is set for 12 PM.
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