WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 23, 2024) – The Western New England baseball team opened their 2024 schedule on Friday afternoon, coming away with a 7-1 loss to the Ospreys of Stockton University at the Matt Kurkjian ALS Awareness Invitational.

Records:

• Western New England: 0-1
• Stockton University: 1-0

How it Happened:

Western New England first year Tanner Wall made his season debut, getting the nod on opening day for the Golden Bears, giving up a leadoff single, though bared down, and getting the Ospreys to ground out into a double play to stop the early momentum. Stockton would leave four on base through the first two innings of the game while the Golden Bears got going in the bottom of the second inning, getting their first hit of the season and first run of the season to take a 1-0 lead. After Sean Jamieson reached on a throwing error, Jack Loftus would grab Western New England's first hit of the night, a single through the right side of the diamond that advanced Jamieson to third with only one out in the inning. After an Aaron Cole base on balls, Western New England would have the bases loaded, and Kohtaro Shimada would deliver with just enough contact to force an error by Stockton that plated a run for the Golden Bears, giving the blue and gold the early edge, a 1-0 lead at the end of two innings of play.

Stockton would waste little time getting back in the game, coming away with two runs on three hits while leaving two on base in the top of the third inning, grabbing their first lead of the game after Nick Avagnan and Cooper Fiore would earn RBI singles for the Ospreys in the inning to take a 2-1 lead. Western New England would get a one-out single to right field from Cody Waterbury, though the Golden Bears would not be able to string together back-to-back hits, ending the inning with Waterbury stranded. The Osperys would add another hit and run in the top of the fourth inning that gave Stockton a 3-1 lead when Jordan Nitti singled down the third base line, advancing all runners off WNE relief pitcher Sean Hogan.

Neither team would generate much offense in the fifth inning, while the Osperys came away with their fourth run of the game in the top of the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly, which gave Stockton a 4-1 lead over the Golden Bears. Western New England would threaten in the bottom of the sixth inning after a walk from Jake Loftus, a single through the left side of the infield from Kohtaro Shimada, and a walk issued to Henry Schowerer, which filled the bases with two outs, though WNE would see Paul Villecco fly out to deep right field, which ended the threat for the blue and gold.

Stockton would score one run each in the final three innings of the game, while Western New England would grab two hits, a Sean Jamieson single and a Cody Waterbury single in the final three innings while leaving three total runners on base in those three innings and 12 total on the day, dropping a 7-1 decision to Stockton in the season opener.

Around the Diamond: 

• Cody Waterbury recorded two hits for Western New England, who came away with just five hits on the afternoon.
• The Golden Bears left 12 total runners on base while scoring just one run in the game.
• First Year Tanner Wall earned the loss in the game, going the first three innings, giving up five hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out two. Sean Hogan (3 IP), Alex Slezak (1 IP), Aidan Gowaski (1 IP), and Greg Nivison (1 IP) finished out the game in relief for WNE.
• Nick Avagnano led Stockton with three hits in four plate appearances while grabbing two RBIs in the win.
• This is the first time the Golden Bears have dropped a season opening game since 2019, previously winning four opening games in a row.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England will return to the diamond for day two of the Matt Kurkjian ALS Awareness Invitational on Saturday, February 24 at 3:30 pm to take on the hosts, the Cardinals of Catholic University.