Baseball Splits Twinbill in Myrtle to Open 2026 Season

By Jim Fenton

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- The stellar pitching of Patrick Chapin (Framingham, Mass.) enabled the Bridgewater State University baseball team to split an opening-day doubleheader Saturday.

The junior allowed just two hits in six innings as the Bears defeated Saint Joseph's University of Long Island, 4-1, in the evening at the Ripken Experience's Crosley Field.

In the afternoon, the Golden Eagles (2-3) jumped to a 6-2 lead on the way to an 11-7 victory over BSU.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 4, Saint Joseph's 1

Chapin made one start for Anna Maria as a freshman in 2024 and worked out of the bullpen in nine games at BSU last season, going 2-0.

In his first start for the Bears, Chapin was in control.

He allowed a first-inning single to right by senior Joe Hackal (Miller Place, N.Y.) and a second-inning single to center by senior Marco Gullo (New Hyde Park, N.Y.).

Both runners were stranded, and the lone Golden Eagles' run came in the sixth on a walk to sophomore Connor Bunce (Melville, N.Y.), a sacrifice bunt, wild pitch and RBI groundout.

Chapin struck out nine in his six innings and walked only two. In 11 1/3 innings of relief in 2025, Chapin struck out nine batters.

Senior Matt Kustigan (Charlton, Mass.) pitched the seventh inning, allowing just a walk to record the save.

BSU took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as junior Ryland Secovich (Southwick, Mass.) singled to right, stole second and went to third on an infield hit by freshman Nick Berube (Swampscott, Mass.).

The two then worked a double steal for a 1-0 lead.

Senior Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.) contributed a ground-rule double to right for a run and senior Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) added an RBI single up the middle.

The Bears made it 4-0 when sophomore Jamie Luna (Warwick, R.I.) had an infield hit, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a Selander single down the right-field line.

Selander and Secovich, a transfer from Dean College, had two hits each for BSU, which had eight hits.

Junior Riley Morris (Center Moriches, N.Y.) took the loss, going five innings and allowing four runs and seven hits with six strikeouts.

Game One: Saint Joseph's 11, Bridgewater State 7

The Golden Eagles opened a 3-0 lead in the top of the first and added three more runs in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead.

BSU was behind, 9-2, before scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth.

Junior Joe Thatcher (Seaford, N.Y.) opened the scoring with a three-run home run to center field the first inning.

The Bears cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer by sophomore Cam Beltramini (Hanson, Mass.) after Secovich had reached on a single. The home run mark Beltramini's first of his collegiate career.

But Saint Joseph's scored three more times in the fourth.

Freshman Andrew Amarando (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) delivered a pair with a single to left and scored on a triple down the right-field line by sophomore John Margolies (Smithtown, N.Y.).

The Golden Eagles added a run in the fifth when sophomore Paul McNally (Melville, N.Y.) led with a homer to left to make it 7-2.

Saint Joseph's scored two more in the sixth, one scoring on a fielder's choice and the other on a single to left by Thatcher.

The Bears' best inning was the sixth when they scored four times.

Senior Riley Thornell (Wareham, Mass.) walked and went to second on an error with Secovich reaching on the play.

Senior DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) had an RBI double down the line in left and Beltramini brought in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Prampin scored on a wild pitch and a ground-rule double to left center by Berube made it 9-6.

The Golden Eagles scored their final two runs in the seventh on a two-out, two-run double to right by Hackal.

The Bears scored a run in the seventh on an RBI single with two outs by Luna and had the bases loaded with the tying run at the plate. But the Golden Eagles stopped the threat.

Luna, Secovich and Prampin had two hits each for BSU, which was outhit, 13-11.

Amarando was 3-for-4 and Thatcher drove in four runs for the winners.

BSU senior Trey Yesu (Monson, Mass.) took the loss, allowing seven runs in five innings while striking out five.

Senior John Moeller (Kings Park, N.Y.) was the winning pitcher for Saint Joseph's, allowing two runs and six hits with six strikeouts in five innings.

BSU continues an eight-game trip on Sunday at 10 a.m., facing Delaware Valley at Conway High School.