EASTON, Mass. (May 16, 2026) – The Stonehill College baseball team split its season-closing NEC doubleheader against Norfolk State University on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field. The Skyhawks claimed a 9-6 victory in game one before the Spartans responded with a 15-4 win in seven innings in the finale.
Prior to first pitch, Stonehill honored its 10-member senior class of
Sam Parks, Ryan Douglas, Sean McGee, TJ Curley, Michael Rickert, Adam Martin, Jake Lanzer, Jimmy Gilleran, Brendan Driscoll, Cian Hamell-Kelleher, and
Max Brulport during a Senior Day ceremony.
GAME ONE: Stonehill 9 (21-27, 17-12 NEC), Norfolk State 6 (19-31, 15-17 NEC)
How It Happened
Following three and a half scoreless innings that featured just three combined hits,
Nathan Kearney ignited the Skyhawks' offense with a leadoff single into right-center in the fourth. Kearney would later score on an errant throw following a
Jamison Howland bunt, allowing Howland to advance all the way to third.
John Bureau followed with an RBI double down the right field line to plate Howland and give Stonehill a 2-0 advantage.
Norfolk State answered with a pair of runs over the next two innings to even the score at two. Emmett Johnson drove in the Spartans' first run with an RBI single in the fifth before Ryan Hoeft tied the game with a base hit down the right field line in the sixth.
The Skyhawks responded immediately in the bottom half of the sixth to reclaim control. Bureau launched a solo homer over the right field fence for his second long ball of the season, while
Armanis Romero later added a sacrifice fly to score
Kacin Robinson and extend the lead to 4-2.
After Norfolk State cut the deficit to one in the top of the seventh, Stonehill erupted for four runs in the home half of the inning. Bureau continued his standout afternoon with an RBI single before a wild pitch brought home two more runs.
Sam Parks capped the rally with an RBI single to push the Skyhawks ahead 8-3.
Howland added insurance in the eighth with a solo homer to right field. Norfolk State mounted a late push behind a three-run homer from Justin Journette in the ninth, but Stonehill held on to secure the 9-6 victory.
Inside the Box & Notes
• Howland and Bureau powered the Skyhawks offensively, combining to go 7-for-9 with two homeruns, one double, five runs scored, and five RBI.
• Parks, Kearney, and
Cam Morrison tallied their 15th, 17th, and 10th multi-hit games of the season, respectively.
•
Ryan LeClair and Kearney extended their on-base streaks to 43 and 40 consecutive games, respectively.
•
Ryan Douglas earned his career-high fifth win of the season after tossing 7.0 innings, allowing three runs while striking out five.
•
Jake Lanzer and
Adam Martin combined to close out the game with 2.0 innings of relief, striking out three batters.
GAME TWO: Norfolk State 15 (20-31, 16-17 NEC), Stonehill 4 (21-28, 17-13 NEC)
How It Happened
Norfolk State seized control early in game two, building an 11-run advantage through the first four innings while holding Stonehill hitless.
The Skyhawks broke through in the bottom of the fifth, plating four runs to trim the deficit. Kearney opened the inning with his second homerun of the season before
Eisig Chin later scored on a delayed steal attempt.
Brayden Rader added an RBI single into right field to bring home Bureau, who reached earlier in the frame via walk, while
Will Newton capped the scoring by crossing the plate on a Spartans wild pitch.
Despite the fifth inning rally, Stonehill was unable to complete the comeback as Norfolk State pulled away for a 15-4 victory in seven innings in the season finale.
Inside the Box & Notes
- Kearney extended his on-base streak to 41 consecutive games after finishing 1-for-3 with a homerun.
- Chin recorded his team-leading second triple of the season.
- Jimmy Gilleran tallied a hit in his first collegiate plate appearance, while Hunter Bell stole the first base of his career in a pinch-running appearance.
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