Another Upset, Season Debuts Highlight Navs’ Recent College Play

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LYNN, Mass. — Many incoming North Shore Navigators players have continued their hot starts to the 2024 collegiate season through the first weekend of March.

Center fielder Kyle Jones (Stetson) became the second Navigator in as many weeks to help their team upset a nationally-ranked opponent as his Hatters picked up a 7-4 win over then-No. 4 Florida last Tuesday. Jones scored the opening run while recording a hit and a walk before making the final putout of the game. Jones kept his hot bat through the weekend, going 5-for-13 with a double and four walks over four games against future North Shore teammate Brady Dever’s Brown squad. Jones raised his season average to .351 and has posted the highest on-base percentage of the Hatters’ starters at .520.

Stetson also turned to a future Navs pitcher for their first win of the weekend as Zane Coppersmith tossed four strikeouts in two scoreless and hitless innings in his first collegiate victory on Friday. The redshirt freshman has been nearly perfect across three relief outings so far this season, registering 10 strikeouts, walking just two, and not allowing a hit or run in 5.2 innings.

Returning Navs pitcher Jack Iannibelli (Stonehill) made his season debut for the Skyhawks on Sunday, shutting down the Florida Atlantic bats over 2.1 no-hit innings with three strikeouts. The left-hander from Stoneham made his Sunday appearance immediately after Swampscott native Pierce Friedman worked through his first start of the year. Iannibelli appeared in a total of two games over the weekend against the Owls, adding another strikeout on Friday while not allowing a single run against him.

Boston local Jack Volo (Georgetown) made a shutdown relief appearance last Tuesday against Maryland. The first-year righty tallied an inning of work without allowing a hit, being one of only two pitchers for the Hoyas to allow no runs against the Terrapins.

Shifting back to the bats, a Nav who started the past weekend right was Pat D’Amico (Seton Hall). The Lynnfield native and St. John’s Prep product helped lead the Pirates to their 12-3 win on Friday at FIU, going 2-for-4 with a season-high two RBI. D’Amico also drew two walks in the game, bringing his season total to five.

Playing for the No. 3-ranked Division 3 team in the country, Danny MacDougall (Endicott) mirrored the strong start that his brother Ryan MacDougall (Dayton) had by collecting four hits and two doubles in the Gulls’ first three games of the season. The elder MacDougall went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Saturday’s season-opening win over UMass Boston. He eventually collected four on the weekend when adding in a doubleheader against local rival Salem State the next day, all the while collecting a walk and avoiding striking out to start the season.

Andover native Kyle Wolff (Boston College) found a way to get on base in each of the three games he appeared in over the weekend. Wolff collected two hits, drew one walk, and was also hit by a pitch in each of the three games. The first baseman was also able to drive in a run on Saturday as the Eagles came from behind to beat William & Mary.

Reece Moroney (Rhode Island) found a way to get on base as well, drawing two walks in a snowy weekend against Washington State. The shortstop’s best performance came on Sunday, helping lead the Rams to a 6-3 win by going 2-for-5 and driving in the game-tying runs in the fifth inning.

Fellow infielder Mason Dobie (Dayton) put up his best performance of the young season for the Flyers. Dobie went 3-for-5 and scored a run to start the series against High Point, helping him finish the weekend with five hits in 14 at-bats, two walks, and three runs scored.

Alex Luccini (UMass Lowell) continued his .300-hitting start in a weekend series against Kansas State, going 4-for-7 over the first two games and logging three of his now-four doubles on the season. The River Hawks’ center fielder recorded two doubles and drove in a first-inning run in the series opener on Friday.

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 Navs news — including further updates on current and former players — by visiting nsnavs.com and following the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.