By Anthony DiCocco
With a number of teams snowed out this weekend, only three local squads were in action on Friday. Let’s see how these three Division I schools fared.
Stony Brook 11, FIU 1 F/7
First of many, congratulations to our leader! 👏
🌊🐺 x #NCAABaseball pic.twitter.com/YlFMSm3J93
— Stony Brook Baseball (@StonyBrookBASE) February 28, 2026
In a run-ruled shortened affair, the Seawolves cruised to their first win of the season, which also acted as Jim Martin’s first victory as the team’s head coach. Micah Worley shoved for Stony Brook across six scoreless innings, striking out 11 batters while walking one and allowing two hits.
With its No. 1 pitcher at his best, the Seawolves’ offense took care of the rest. Stony Brook capitalized on an error in the first inning, as Chanz Doughty grounded out to drive in a run.
In the top of the second inning, the Seawolves erupted for five two-out runs. With two runners on, James Schaffer slashed a run-scoring single through the right side before Nicholas Dromboski plated two more with another single.
Following another error, FIU’s Jeremy Urena walked Doughty to load the bases, prompting Matt Jackson to bounce a two-RBI single the other way to extend Stony Brook’s lead to 6-0. The Seawolves played more small ball in the third, as Nick Zampieron stole second base after a single, allowing Schaffer to score him with another two-out knock.
Johnny Pilla swiped second in the fourth before Aidyn Coffey, Chris Carson and Zampieron strung three straight singles together to make it 9-0. Jordan Vargas relieved Urena in the top of the fifth frame and hurled a wild pitch to bring a run home prior to Jackson doubling home another.
FIU’s Enrique Alvarez Jr. recorded the team’s lone RBI on a groundout against Luca Mannino in the bottom of the seventh to break the shutout. However, the run was unearned, as Coffey committed an error.
Jackson and Schaffer each picked up two hits with three and two RBIs, respectively. Zampieron led the team with three hits, including the team’s only other extra-base hit besides Jackson’s double, and notched an RBI. Dromboski drove in two runs while Doughty and Coffey tallied one apiece.
On the day, 10 of the Seawolves’ 11 runs came with two outs.
Stony Brook will continue its series against the Panthers in Miami on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Hofstra 2, Liberty 7
perfect timing ⌚ pic.twitter.com/2Aji6vGEnj
— Liberty Baseball (@LibertyBaseball) February 27, 2026
The Pride scratched across two early runs against Liberty’s Ben Blair, but he quickly settled in to dice them up. Aside from allowing RBI doubles to CJ Griggs and Tyler Cox in the first and third innings, respectively, Blair was untouchable, as he pitched to two runs, two hits, two walks and 12 strikeouts across seven stellar innings.
In the bottom of the third inning, Sean Hamilton lost the feel for the strike zone, as he hit two Flames and walked one to load the bases. Jaxon Sorenson then cut the deficit in half with a sacrifice fly before Griggs committed a throwing error to bring in the tying run.
In the fourth, Hamilton hit a batter with two outs, prompting Tanner Marsh and Riley DeCandido to trade places with back-to-back RBI doubles to put Liberty ahead 4-2.
The Flames added another run in the fifth against Maddon McArthur due to Hofstra’s defense. Nick Gallello bobbled a ball in right field to turn a Sorenson base hit into a triple, and two batters later, Easton Swofford plated him with a sacrifice fly.
With Russell Hunter on the hill for the eighth, Michael Craig dropped a ball in center to score the Flames’ sixth run of the day before DeCandido made it 7-2 with another RBI double.
Of Liberty’s seven runs in the game, only four were earned. However, Hamilton, McArthur, Hunter and Michael D’Ambrosio did not help themselves, as they combined for seven walks and five hit-by-pitches despite allowing just six hits.
Aside from Griggs and Cox’s RBI doubles, Gallello picked up Hofstra’s only other hit.
Despite walking three batters, Josh Swink struck out five and coughed up one hit over two scoreless frames in relief for Blair.
The Pride will aim to secure their first victory of the season at 2 p.m. on Saturday in game two.
St. John’s 1, Kentucky 3
Action Jaxon!
The final line for @jaxonj24 on Friday:
7.1 IP, 2 H, R (0 ER), BB, 8 K (94 pitches) pic.twitter.com/19GPkHCHrC
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) February 28, 2026
In a pitcher’s duel between Liam O’Leary and Jaxon Jelkin, Jelkin prevailed to lift No. 22 Kentucky to the win. Across 7 ⅓ innings, Jelkin allowed an unearned run on two hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch while striking out eight batters.
O’Leary also showed up, as he struck out four Wildcats over six innings and surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks and a hit batsmen.
Tyler Cerny broke the ice in the bottom of the second inning by crushing a leadoff homer to center field to make it 1-0 Kentucky. Two innings later, Jayce Tharnish led off with a single before Cerny drove in his second run of the game with a double.
The Wildcats plated another run in the fifth. Two singles and a throwing error by Jayder Raifstanger combined to load the bases, leading to a run-scoring fielder’s choice off Tharnish’s bat.
With two runners on in the top of the eighth, the Red Storm finally chased Jelkin from the game and immediately got on the board, as Hudson Brown committed an error at first base to score a run.
However, Jack Bennett got Jack Tate to strike out before inducing a fly out off Lewis Rodrig’s bat to end the threat. In the top of the ninth, Bennett worked a spotless frame to earn the save.
In relief, Bennett struck out two batters without allowing a hit or walk over 1 ⅔ frames. For the Johnnies, Jack Nestler struck out a batter across two perfect innings.
Raifstanger and Ayden Frey picked up St. John’s only two hits. Cerny led the way for Kentucky with a double, homer and two RBIs while Tharnish added two hits of his own.
The Red Storm and Wildcats will lock horns at 1 p.m. on Saturday for the middle game of the series.
