COLUMBIA, Md. – The Stevenson University baseball team opened its 2026 season on Saturday, as the Mustangs defeated King's 5-1 in game one followed by a 11-0 win in game two.
Game 1
Stevenson opened game one of the doubleheader with a 5–1 comeback victory over the Monarchs, using a dominant sixth inning to pull away.
Both teams battled through a scoreless first four innings as pitching and defense controlled the tempo early. King's threatened in the opening frame after a walked and stolen base, but the Mustangs worked out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts and a ground out to strand the runner.
The Monarchs crossed the plate first in the top of the fifth. Stevenson answered in a big way in the bottom of the sixth. After
Caleb Laverty singled and
Kaige Garrity entered as a pinch runner,
Collin Palmieri followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners.
Jaylon Surell lifted a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at 1–1. Later in the inning,
Ben Vaughan added another sacrifice fly to give the Mustangs a 2–1 edge.
With two outs,
Cole Reich ripped a two-run double to left field to score two and extend the lead to 4–1. An error at first allowed another run to cross, capping a five-run inning.
Stevenson shut the door in the seventh with
Mason Gove closing it out and
Sommers Turner collecting the win.
Game 2
Stevenson completed the sweep of King's with a dominant 11–0 shutout in game two, breaking things open with a six-run fourth inning.
The Mustangs set the tone early behind strong pitching in Will Heyse, retiring the side in order in both the first and second innings. Stevenson collected a hit in each of the first two frames but was unable to push a run across as the game remained scoreless through three.
After another clean defensive inning in the top of the fourth, Stevenson's offense erupted in the bottom half. John Noll singled to start the rally, and Shaun Rudick followed with a walk. A sacrifice bunt from Christopher Manco moved both runners into scoring position before Levi Loughry lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the game's first run.
Graham Sears got hit by a pitch to land on base which led to a two RBI triple coming from Ben Vaughan extending the teams lead to 3-0. Landon Richard singles to center knocking in another run. Vincent Licor capped the frame with a two-run double to left, giving the Mustangs a commanding 6–0 advantage after four.
The Mustangs added insurance in the fifth when Loughry tripled and later scored on an RBI single from Sears to make it 7–0. Stevenson put the game out of reach in the sixth with another offensive surge. Richard doubled, and Rudick drove in two with a single to left. Later in the inning, Connor Mullaney pinch hit and ripped a two-run double to center, pushing the lead to 11–0.
Stevenson closed the door in the seventh, recording two strikeouts and a flyout to seal the shutout victory with Ari Lonstein on the mound. Will Heyse earned the win.
Stevenson is scheduled to host McDaniel at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
