2024 North Shore Navigators Start Collegiate Seasons Hot

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LYNN, Mass. — A number of incoming North Shore Navigators players have gotten off to strong starts through the first two weeks of the Division 1 college baseball season.

Ryan MacDougall (Dayton) has put up consecutive great weeks to begin his college career, culminating in a .320 batting average and three home runs, which are tied for the most on the Flyers. The Taunton native also leads the team with nine RBI and 18 total bases, good enough to amass a .720 slugging percentage. MacDougall opened his career on Feb. 18 with a 2-for-4 day while driving in two runs against Lindenwood and had five hits and five RBI during that series. He played a pivotal role in the Flyers’ 8-5 win over then-No. 6 Vanderbilt last Tuesday, driving in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. MacDougall rounded out his week with two home runs in two days against top-ranked Wake Forest, including one off MLB.com’s No. 5-pitching prospect Chase Burns.

Another Navigators local player starting with a hot bat is Kyle Wolff (Boston College), who is hitting .308 with eight RBI and just three strikeouts over 26 at-bats. The Eagles’ first baseman began his sophomore campaign by collecting four hits in the MLB Desert Invitational, including three against Cal to conclude the weekend. Wolff posted a home run, a double, and four RBI against the Golden Bears. Wolff kept the momentum up in his second weekend, going 4-for-12 while driving in three runs against the University of Texas-Arlington.

In the outfield, Alex Luccini (UMass Lowell) has found his rhythm early, getting a hit in all of his first seven games played as a junior. Luccini collected five hits over the River Hawks’ first four games against High Point and added three more, including a double, against William & Mary during the second weekend of play. Luccini’s eight hits are good for second on the River Hawks team, as he sits with a .276 average to start of the year.

Kyle Jones (Stetson) continued the Navs’ hitting prowess to start the season, going 5-for-10 with two doubles and two RBI against West Virginia. Jones upped the ante in week two, hitting his first home run against Maine during a weekend where he drew five walks and struck out only once. Jones carries an on-base percentage of .536 and is hitting .350 after his first six games.

Brady Dever (Brown) found his power stroke to begin his career, going 3-for-9 with three RBI against Tennessee-Martin this past weekend. Dever is also the only Bear with multiple home runs to start the season, as he hit both in Sunday’s win to conclude the series. He also finished the opening weekend with two walks and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

Another first-year who started on a tear was infielder Reece Moroney (Rhode Island). Moroney went 5-for-14 with two RBI against the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, with three hits in his first career game. Moroney continued this streak against Virginia Tech this past weekend, going 3-for-6 in the first two games of the series. For the season, Moroney holds a .333 batting average thanks to a team-best eight hits.

Outfielder Jake Kulikowski (Miami) has shown a patient eye to begin his career with the Hurricanes, walking five times thus far to bring his on-base percentage to .583 for the season. He drew three against Long Island on Feb. 25. Kulikowski also hit his first double against the Sharks, helping his slugging percentage improve to .429.

On the mound, Anthony Ehly (Seton Hall) put together two strong performances to start the season. Ehly has pitched seven innings across two games for the Pirates, amassing four strikeouts and allowing just three hits. Ehly’s performances have netted him a 1.29 ERA.

Zane Coppersmith (Stetson) returned to pitch for the first time since 2022 and has performed from the jump, striking out six across 3.2 no-hit innings so far. Coppersmith recorded three strikeouts against both Fordham and West Virginia over the first two weeks of the season.

The Navigators will return to historic Fraser Field and the NECBL for their 17th summer season in 2024, with first pitch set for Tuesday, June 4. Stay up to date on the latest Navigators news — including further updates on current and former players — by visiting nsnavs.com and following the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.