LANCASTER, Pa. — The St. Mary’s College of Maryland baseball team’s 2026 postseason journey came to an end on Friday, May 1, as the Seahawks were swept in a United East Conference Quarterfinal doubleheader by Lancaster Bible College.
St. Mary’s lost a thrilling 12-11 contest in 10 innings in Game 1 and fell 10-2 in Game 2, finishing the season with a final record of 10-20-1.
In the opener, the Seahawks jumped out to an early lead when Connor Wilkerson hit a two-run home run in the first inning. St. Mary’s then put up five runs in the second inning to take a 7-3 advantage. Kyle Catanzaro contributed a solo home run and Aaron Wathen delivered a two-run single during the big frame. The Seahawks further extended their lead to 11-4 in the fifth inning behind Catanzaro’s second home run of the game and a two-RBI single from Rhett Fletcher.
Lancaster Bible mounted a significant comeback, scoring four runs in the seventh inning with home runs from Donavan Boles and Malachi Sloane. The Chargers tied the game in the eighth inning and walked it off in the 10th on an RBI double by Dylan Witkowski.
Layne Lesko paced the St. Mary’s offense with three hits. Wilkerson and Catanzaro each drove in two runs, while Fletcher and Wathen also had multi-RBI performances. Detailed Game 1 batting stats showed Lesko going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, Corey Brown finishing 2-for-6 with two runs and one RBI, Fletcher going 2-for-6 with two RBI and one run, and Wathen going 2-for-5 with two RBI. On the bases, Brown and Lesko each stole a base while Brown was caught stealing once.
Jordan Bonhoff took the loss for the Seahawks in Game 1 (1-5), while Evan Sareyka earned the win for Lancaster Bible (4-1). Lancaster Bible also recorded key extra-base hits, including doubles by Dylan Witkowski and Evan Sareyka, and home runs by Witkowski, Boles and Sloane.
In Game 2, Lancaster Bible carried the momentum from the walk-off victory, scoring early and often to secure a 10-2 win. The Chargers recorded 18 hits in the victory and struck first with a two-run home run in the first inning. St. Mary’s scored single runs in the fourth inning on a double-play ball and in the eighth on a fielder’s choice.
Fletcher, Wilkerson and Wathen each had two hits in the loss. Additional Game 2 batting stats for St. Mary’s included doubles by Aaron Wathen and Will Wilson, and an RBI by DJ Sifford. Lancaster Bible added multiple extra-base hits, including three doubles by Tanner Smith, a triple by Dylan Witkowski, and home runs by Witkowski and Evan Sareyka. The Chargers also showed strong baserunning with multiple stolen bases.
Trey Luminella picked up the win for Lancaster Bible (2-3), Ryan Matthews took the loss for St. Mary’s (3-5) and Trevor Bertsch earned the save (1).
The doubleheader loss eliminates St. Mary’s from the UEC Tournament. Lancaster Bible advances to the next round.
Despite the disappointing end, the Seahawks showed character and offensive firepower in their final games of the season with standout power displays from Catanzaro and consistent hitting from several key contributors. The experience gained in the postseason will benefit the program moving forward as they prepare for the 2027 campaign.
The 2026 season for St. Mary’s College of Maryland baseball featured competitive play in the United East Conference and highlighted the development of several key players, including the multi-hit games and timely hitting that kept the team in contention throughout the year. The team will now focus on offseason training and recruiting to build upon this year’s foundation and return stronger next spring.
