EASTON, Mass. (April 4, 2025) – The Stonehill College baseball team split its series-opening doubleheader to FDU Friday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field, as the Knights took game one, 10-6, before the Skyhawks bounced back with a shutout, 2-0, victory in game two. With the decisions, Stonehill moved to 7-19 overall and 6-5 in conference play, while FDU moved to 8-23 overall and 8-6 against conference opponents.
GAME ONE: FDU 10 (8-22, 8-5 NEC), Stonehill 6 (6-19, 5-5 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stonehill took an early two-run lead in the bottom of the second inning. After three consecutive batters reached base, sophomore Aidan Sengenberger delivered a line-drive RBI single into shallow left field. With the bases still loaded and no outs in the inning, sophomore Ryan LeClair grounded into a double play, allowing senior Taylor Gaspar, who had been hit by a pitch earlier, to race home and score the Skyhawks’ second run of the game.
However, FDU quickly responded. After an infield error to start the third inning, junior Franklin Gomez Jr., connected for a two-out single to right field, driving in two runs and tying the game at 2-2. Two innings later, FDU took its first lead of the contest, scoring two runs on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and another RBI single from Gomez. In the top of the sixth, the Knights extended their lead to 5-2 when freshman Travis Stroh plated freshman Felix Gonzalez with a single to left field.
The Skyhawks responded in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit to 5-4. Sengenberger started the rally with his second RBI of the game, followed by senior Sam Parks reaching on a fielder’s choice, which allowed graduate student Jack Thorbahn to score.
In the seventh inning, freshman Hunter Ray added an RBI single, and Stonehill tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth. The rally was fueled by Sengenberger’s third RBI single of the day, followed by a sacrifice fly to deep center field from Park.
However, in the top of the ninth, FDU regained control with a four-run surge, sealing a 10-6 victory in the opening game of the series.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- Junior Michael Rickert and Sengenberger led the Skyhawks at the plate with their respective first and third three-hit games of the season.
- Freshman Hunter Bell got the start in game one and matched his career-high striking out six batters on the day.
- Gomez and Stroh fueled the Knights’ offensive output, each driving home three runs in game one.
- Graduate student Ethan Rembish earned the win on the mound in game one after striking out three batters over 2.2 innings of relief.
GAME TWO: Stonehill 2 (7-19, 6-5 NEC), FDU 0 (8-23, 8-6 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After two and a half scoreless innings, during which seven combined runners were stranded by junior Jake Lanzer and freshman James Vlastaris, the Skyhawks took the lead in the bottom of the third. Parks led off the inning with a walk, and an infield bunt single from junior Sean McGee put two on base. Sophomore Grayson Sparr followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Parks and giving the Skyhawks their first lead of game two.
In the bottom of the fourth, after freshman Mason Hebert retired the side in order in the top half, Thorbahn led off the inning by launching a solo home run over the right-field wall, doubling the Skyhawks’ lead as they headed into the fifth.
From there, Skyhawk relievers Hebert, freshman Jack Welsch, and junior Adam Martin kept the FDU offense in check. They allowed just two hits and kept the Knights off the scoreboard, securing a narrow 2-0 shutout victory in game two of the series-opening doubleheader.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- Parks improved his on-base streak to an overall season team-best 21 straights games, while Rickert extended his to 13 consecutive games.
- Thorbahn registered his team-leading seventh homer of the season, while Sparr drove home his 28th run of the campaign, marking the second most in the NEC.
- Stonehill’s shutout against FDU marked the first clean sheet posted since the Skyhawks blanked Delaware State, 3-0, back on April 22, 2023.
- Stroh led the Knights offensively, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Graduate student Ben Pika matched his season-high of three strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief for FDU.
UP NEXT
Stonehill (7-19, 6-5 NEC) wraps up its three-game set against FDU tomorrow morning. First pitch from Lou Gorman Field between the Skyhawks and Knights is set for 11 AM.
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