Springfield, Mass. – March 1, 2025 – The Springfield College baseball team was shutout in both ends of a non-conference doubleheader against Western New England University on Saturday afternoon to open the 2025 campaign.

Western New England won the opener, 4-0, before completing the sweep with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. The Golden Bears are now 2-0 on the season, while Springfield opens the year at 0-2.

The Golden Bears pitching staff held the Pride to just two hits in game one as Jared Kuryan earned the win (1-0) going the first six frames before Andrew Malone pitched the final frame. The duo also combined for six strikeouts and surrendered just three walks. 

Springfield's hits came on a one out triple in the first by Nate Garafalo (Kinderhook, N.Y.) and a single in the seventh by Andrew Sweet (Charlton, Mass.). After a scoreless opening inning, Jack Loftus blasted a solo shot over the fence for a 1-0 lead for the Golden Bears in the second. Western New England took advantage of two Springfield errors in the fourth as an RBI double by Tyler Kornacki and a two run single by John Bova made it a 4-0 game.

Despite Sweet lining a single in the seventh, Malone struck out the side for Western New England to secure the 4-0 final. Nate Kelleher-Mochak (Florence, Mass.) took the loss for Springfield on 3.2 innings, five hits, four runs (one earned) and four strikeouts.

In the nightcap, Adam Crocker (Windsor, Nova Scotia) went 3-for-3 for the Pride, but Matt Lauria pitched a complete game shutout for Western New England to complete the sweep. Lauria struck out ten Springfield batters and walked just one.   

Western New England produced all five of its runs in the top of the second as an RBI knock by Connor Cowern made it 1-0 before Jack Gamache doubled the lead on an RBI base hit of his own. Then two batters later with the bases loaded, Ryan Montini cleared the bags with a three-run double to the gap for the 5-0 advantage.

Springfield advanced a runner to third in the bottom of the third, but Lauria set allowed just a pair of singles over the final four innings. 

In his debut on Alden Street, JP Catellier (Springfield, Mass.) took the loss (0-1) on 2.0 innings, three hits, three strikeouts and five runs (all earned).

Springfield will host Elms in non-conference action on Monday at 3:00 pm. 

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