ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland baseball team (11-14) concluded its regular season on April 26, 2025, splitting a United East Conference doubleheader against Penn State Abington (17-18). The Seahawks dominated game one, winning 14-4 in seven innings, but fell 11-9 in game two. With the regular season complete, St. Mary’s now prepares for the United East Conference Tournament’s first round on April 29.
In game one, St. Mary’s surged to a 14-4 victory, powered by a nine-run outburst in the final two innings. The Seahawks took an early 2-1 lead after two innings, with Cole Tarleton’s RBI single and Trevor Smith’s solo home run. They broke the game open in the fourth, scoring three runs on Tarleton’s two-run triple and George Berbakos’ RBI single, making it 5-1. Penn State Abington narrowed the gap to 5-4 in the sixth, but St. Mary’s responded decisively. In the sixth, Tarleton’s two-run double sparked a five-run inning, with Berbakos, Ian Walters, Trevor Smith, and Layne Lesko each adding an RBI. The Seahawks sealed the win in the seventh with three more runs, driven in by Berbakos, Walters, and Smith.
Cole Tarleton led the offense in game one, finishing with four hits and five RBIs. George Berbakos also had four hits and three RBIs. Ryder Chalk earned the win, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing four earned runs, while Jordan Bonhoff secured the save.
Game two saw Penn State Abington take an early 8-1 lead after two innings. St. Mary’s fought back with a four-run second, highlighted by Eli Shafer’s three-run double, cutting the deficit to 8-4. The Lions extended their lead to 11-4 in the third, but the Seahawks mounted a comeback. In the fifth, Corey Brown’s RBI single and Layne Lesko’s two-run single brought the score to 11-7. Rhett Fletcher’s RBI single in the sixth made it 11-9, but St. Mary’s could not close the gap further, falling short.
Layne Lesko and Eli Shafer each contributed two hits and two RBIs in game two. Tommy Brill took the loss, pitching 1.25 innings. Nick Russo threw six innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out six, while Willie Nelson and Anthony Walsh also pitched.
The doubleheader showcased St. Mary’s offensive depth, with multiple players delivering key hits across both games. Tarleton and Berbakos stood out in game one, combining for eight hits and eight RBIs, while Shafer and Lesko led the charge in game two. The pitching staff, led by Chalk and Russo, showed resilience despite challenges in the second game.
St. Mary’s (11-14) now shifts focus to the United East Conference Tournament, with their first-round game scheduled for April 29. Penn State Abington (17-18) also heads to the postseason, aiming to build on their game two performance. The Seahawks’ balanced attack and experience in close contests position them as contenders in the tournament, where they will look to advance further in the competitive United East Conference.
