NORFOLK, Va. (March 16, 2025) – The Stonehill College baseball team cruised to a dominant 23-8 victory over Norfolk State in seven innings during its Northeast Conference (NEC) series finale Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Skyhawks improved to 4-11 overall and 3-0 in conference play, while the Spartans dropped to 0-16 overall and 0-6 against conference opponents.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Stonehill's explosive 23-run performance marked the second time in the past five games the team has scored at least 23 runs, and the fourth instance this season of reaching double-digit runs.
• Senior Sam Parks and junior Aidan Cohall led the Skyhawks' offensive charge, combining for a 5-for-8 effort with four extra-base hits, including a home run and two triples, while driving in nine of Stonehill's 23 runs on the day.
• Junior Sean McGee blasted his fourth home run of the season, while freshman Brayden Rader turned in a perfect performance at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a double, a home run, and three RBIs.
• Sophomores Aidan Sengenberger and Grayson Sparr each extended their hitting streaks to seven games.
• Junior Jimmy Gilleran earned his first win of the season on the mound, limiting the Spartans to four runs over 5.0 innings with two strikeouts.
• Junior Cam Mazell powered the Norfolk State offense, contributing three of the Spartans' eight runs on the afternoon.
• Junior Justin Journette hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season for Norfolk State.
• Junior Walker Fuller was credited with the loss after allowing eight runs over 3.0 innings of work.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Stonehill loaded the bases in the opening frame and capitalized with a sacrifice groundout to third from junior Taylor Gaspar. Just half an inning later, Norfolk State responded, tying the game at 1-1 with a solo homerun from sophomore Jalan Jones.
 
In the top of the second, the Skyhawks erupted for four runs, taking advantage of an RBI double from Rader and a three-run blast by Cohall, to seize a 5-1 lead. Norfolk State briefly closed the gap with a solo homerun by junior Collin Curry to start the bottom of the second, but that would be as close as the Spartans would get for the rest of the game.
 
Over the next three innings, Stonehill added 18 runs, while Norfolk State managed only six, giving the Skyhawks a commanding 23-8 lead heading into the seventh. The Spartans struggled in the fourth inning, allowing seven Skyhawks to score. A combination of three bases-loaded walks, a passed ball, an RBI triple from Parks, and a two-run homer from McGee fueled the Stonehill rally.
 
The Skyhawks kept their momentum going in the fifth, with Sengenberger starting the scoring with an RBI double into left-center field. Sophomore Ryan LeClair then lifted a sacrifice fly to left, and Rader capped off the inning with his first collegiate homerun, a two-run shot over the right-field wall.
 
Stonehill capped off its scoring in the sixth inning with another seven runs. Sengenberger drew a bases-loaded walk, and LeClair helped bring graduate student Jack Thorbahn home after a throwing error by the Norfolk State pitcher. Freshman Will Newton then took first base on a hit-by-pitch to score Stonehill's 19th run. Parks followed with a bases-clearing three-run triple down the right-field line, extending the lead to 22-4. Two batters later, Cohall wrapped up the Skyhawks' scoring with an RBI double to right-center, putting the game out of reach.
 
Despite four runs from Norfolk State in the bottom of the sixth, the Skyhawks' 15-run lead proved insurmountable. Stonehill completed the NEC series sweep with a dominant 23-8 victory.
 
UP NEXT
Stonehill (4-11, 3-0 NEC) wraps up its three-game weekend series against NEC opponent Norfolk State tomorrow afternoon. First pitch between the Skyhawks and Spartans from Marty L. Miller Field is set for 12 PM.
 
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