EASTON, Mass. (May 15, 2026) – The Stonehill College baseball team took down NEC opponent Norfolk State University, 3-2, Friday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field on Alumni Day. With the win, the Skyhawks improved to 20-27 overall and 16-12 in conference play, while the Spartans fell to 19-30 overall and 15-16 in league action.
Prior to first pitch, the Skyhawks honored graduate students
Sam Parks and
Ryan Douglas as recipients of the annual Blake Marston Award.
Highlights
- With the win, the Skyhawks matched the program's NCAA Division I-era single-season wins record of 20, originally set during the 2025 campaign.
- Junior Jamison Howland recorded his team-leading 19th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
- Juniors Ryan LeClair and Nathan Kearney extended their on-base streaks to 42 and 39 games, respectively.
- LeClair and junior Cam Morrison collected their respective ninth and sixth doubles of the season.
- Senior Michael Rickert pushed his team-leading RBI total to 52 on the year, while freshman Armanis Romero posted his eighth multi-hit game of the season with two hits.
- Senior Jimmy Gilleran earned his fourth win of the season after a stellar 8.0-inning outing in which he allowed two runs on five hits while striking out four.
- Sophomore Jack Welsch recorded his first collegiate save, tossing a hitless ninth inning to seal the victory.
How It Happened
After a scoreless first two and a half innings, Stonehill broke through in the bottom of the third. Romero and Parks opened the frame with back-to-back singles into right field before Rickert delivered a third consecutive hit to plate Romero and give the Skyhawks the lead. Two batters later, Howland lined an RBI single into left, scoring Parks and moving Rickert to third.
With two outs in the inning, a delayed steal attempt allowed Rickert to race home before the tag was applied to Howland, extending the Skyhawks' advantage to 3-0.
After receiving the lead, Gilleran settled in on the mound and dominated over the next four innings, holding Norfolk State to just one hit and no runs during the stretch.
The Spartans cut into the deficit in the eighth with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to make it a one-run game heading into the ninth. Norfolk State then put the tying run on base with a leadoff walk in the final frame, but Welsch responded by shutting the door to secure the 3-2 victory and his first collegiate save.
Up Next
Stonehill (20-27, 16-12 NEC) closes out its 2026 campaign tomorrow on Senior Day with a doubleheader against Norfolk State. First pitch of game one at Lou Gorman Field is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
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