The Hatters (8–10) scored seven runs in the seventh inning to pull away and end the game early, collecting 10 hits while drawing 16 walks in a dominant offensive performance.
Senior Landon Russell led the charge at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and four RBIs, while Yohann Dessureault and Paul Napolitano each drove in two runs. Every Stetson starter reached base safely in the victory.
On the mound, Zane Coppersmith earned the win in relief, tossing 1.2 innings while allowing two runs on two hits and striking out two. TJ Melani followed with 1.1 shutout innings, striking out two and allowing no hits to help secure the victory.
Stetson got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Renzo Gonzalez walked, stole second, and later scored to give the Hatters an early 1–0 lead.
The Hatters added to their advantage in the third inning with a four-run frame. Samuel Fernandez drove in a run with a single before Russell followed with an RBI infield hit. Corey Robinson and Gonzalez later drew bases-loaded walks to extend the lead to 5–0.
Prairie View A&M chipped away at the deficit, scoring once in the fourth and adding two more runs in the sixth to cut the Stetson lead to 5–3.
Stetson responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Napolitano drew a bases-loaded walk to score Fernandez, and Robinson brought home Russell on a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 7–3.
The Panthers pulled within 7–6 in the seventh after a three-run home run from Ryland Duson, but the Hatters quickly answered with their biggest inning of the night.
Stetson erupted for seven runs in the bottom half of the frame. Dessureault delivered a two-run single while hits from Russell, Jayden Hylton, and Napolitano kept the rally alive. Robinson added a sacrifice fly and Juan De la Cruz capped the inning with an RBI double as the Hatters surged ahead 14–6.
Stetson added two more runs in the eighth on Russell's two-RBI walkoff double, sealing the 16–6 victory.
KEY PERFORMERS
• Landon Russell — 3-for-5, double, 4 RBI, 3 runs scored, walkoff double
• Yohann Dessureault — 1 hit, 2 RBI, 2 walks, 3 runs scored
• Paul Napolitano — 1-for-2, 2 walks, 2 RBI
• Juan De la Cruz — RBI double
• Zane Coppersmith — 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 K (win)
• TJ Melani — 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
GAME NOTES
• Every Stetson starter reached base safely.
• The Hatters drew 16 walks in the game.
• Stetson scored seven runs in the seventh inning, its highest-scoring frame of the night.
• The Hatters went 7-for-16 (.438) with runners in scoring position.
• Stetson pitchers combined for nine strikeouts.
• Corey Robinson stole two bases.
• Russell led the Hatters with three hits and four RBIs.
NEXT UP
Stetson returns to Melching Field on Friday night to begin ASUN Conference play, hosting North Florida at 6:30 p.m. as part of Anime Night. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
