Davenport, FL - The John Jay baseball team, under acting head coach Siddeeq Ali, dropped its first game of the 2026 season, falling to the Vermont State Castleton Spartans, 14-2, to commence their RussMatt Invitational.
The Bloodhounds had five hits on the day, two of which came from last season's CUNYAC Rookie of the Year,
Sebastian Sanchez. He and
Hayden Tackett were credited with the lone RBIs for John Jay.
Mark Piri and newcomer
Ichiro Washington each added a hit, with Washington recording his first collegiate base hit.
Washington and
Amaury Torres made their season debuts in the Bloodhound lineup.
On the mound,
Michael Luongo made the start, allowing three runs on three hits while walking four batters. Newcomers
Alex Morrissey and
Thiago Telles made their John Jay debuts, with Telles working the final four innings as both recorded two strikeouts.
Nick Lescarbeau went five innings with five strikeouts to pick up the win. Carter Chapman and CJ Ritchie each worked a scoreless inning of relief, with Chapman striking out two.
Tommie Shaw, Carter Dickinson, and Alex McClelland each had three hits, with Dickinson driving in six RBIs. Turner Clews had two hits and drove in four.
John Jay scored twice in the bottom of the first but was held in check the rest of the way, as the Spartans plated 14 runs on 17 hits, opening the game up in the third inning with seven runs and capping the game off with four more in the top of the sixth.
Vermont State Castleton scored first as Dickinson produced an RBI double to left center, plating the first run of the game.
The Bloodhounds took the lead in the bottom of the frame.
Jaxen Gangwish worked a one-out walk. With two outs, Tackett doubled to left, scoring James Hordodyski, who reached on a fielder's choice. Sanchez put the home team ahead with an RBI single to bring in Tackett.
The Spartans rallied for two more runs in the top of the second to retake the lead at 3-2. McClelland tied the game at two with an RBI single before Dickinson drove in his second RBI, drawing a bases-loaded walk.
The Spartans erupted for seven runs in their half of the third inning, as two straight singles from Shaw and Justin Strozyk plated three runs before Dickinson continued to add to his RBI total with his fourth RBI on a two-run hit. Clews pushed the lead to 10-2 on an RBI single to left. Dickinson added two more RBIs while Clews finalized the scoring on a two-run base knock.
These two teams will square off again tomorrow with first-pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
