St. Mary’s College of Maryland baseball team split a doubleheader with Penn State Brandywine on Senior Day Friday April 24 2026 at the Hawk’s Nest in St. Mary’s City. The Seahawks earned a 7-6 walk-off victory in the opener before settling for an 8-8 tie in the nightcap after six innings.
The results moved St. Mary’s to 10-18-1 overall and 6-7-1 in United East Conference play. The team now prepares for the United East playoffs beginning Tuesday April 28.
In game one St. Mary’s jumped to a 5-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and two more in the second. Connor Wilkerson drove in two runs with a single in the first and added another RBI in the second while Aaron Wathen contributed an RBI. Penn State Brandywine scored once in the third then erupted for five runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 advantage.
The Seahawks tied the score in the sixth on an RBI single by Rhett Fletcher. In the bottom of the ninth St. Mary’s loaded the bases and Wathen delivered the winning run on a fielder’s choice that scored Eli Shafer for the walk-off victory.
Wilkerson finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Fletcher recorded three hits including two doubles. Wathen drove in two runs. Adam Ferony earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning in relief.
Game two featured another offensive showcase. Penn State Brandywine took an 8-2 lead with four runs in the first and four in the third. St. Mary’s responded with four runs in the fourth on RBI hits from Corey Brown Will Wilson and Eli Shafer. The Seahawks tied the game at 8-8 in the sixth when DJ Sifford delivered a two-run single.
Wilson led the offense going 2-for-2 with four RBIs and two doubles. Shafer and Wathen each had two hits. Sifford added two RBIs. Cam Gill threw 3.2 scoreless innings in relief to keep the Seahawks competitive.
For Southern Maryland the doubleheader carried special meaning as St. Mary’s College of Maryland serves as the region’s only four-year college baseball program. The Hawks Nest in St. Mary’s City draws local fans from St. Mary’s Calvert and Charles counties who support Seahawk athletics as a source of community pride. Senior Day honored graduating players in front of hometown supporters.
The split comes after a challenging week that included a 28-0 non-conference loss to Salisbury on April 22. The results position St. Mary’s for a potential playoff run in the United East Conference where they sit near the bubble at 6-7-1.
Key contributors across both games included Fletcher who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in game one. Shafer scored twice in the opener and added two hits in the nightcap. Wilkerson delivered three RBIs in the first game. Wilson produced four RBIs in game two.
The Seahawks used a balanced attack with multiple players contributing hits and timely RBIs. Strong relief pitching from Ferony and Gill proved decisive in keeping games close.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland competes in NCAA Division III as part of the United East Conference. The program under head coach Bernie Stratchko continues to develop local talent and provide opportunities for student-athletes in Southern Maryland. Baseball games at the Hawk’s Nest offer residents a chance to engage with collegiate sports without traveling far.
The team will now focus on postseason preparation. Playoff seeding and first-round matchups will be determined in the coming days. Local fans in the tri-county area can follow the Seahawks through the remainder of the season as they aim to extend their campaign.
