CLARKSVILLE, AR – The Principia College baseball team opened its 2025 season with a three-game road trip in Arkansas, facing the University of the Ozarks and Vermont State University Castleton. Despite battling cold conditions and tough competition, the Panthers flashed early-season power, highlighted by home runs from Skyler Stock and Justice Fortson.
Game 1: Ozarks 14, Principia 4
After cold weather delayed the start of the series, the Panthers kicked off their season against Ozarks on Saturday. Micah Cook took the mound for Principia, but a six-run fourth inning by the Eagles put the game out of reach.
The Panthers' offense was led by Skyler Stock, who picked up the team's first hit of the season and later launched his first home run of the year. Andrew Carpenter recorded his first career hit, doubling to right in the seventh. Tyler Gingras added an RBI single, but Ozarks' 14 runs on 11 hits proved too much as the Panthers dropped the opener 14-4.
Game 2: VT Castleton 15, Principia 4
In their second game of the day, the Panthers faced Vermont-Castleton in freezing conditions. Logan Cadey worked around early trouble, and Principia jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Drake Stilwell ripped an RBI double down the right-field line.
Castleton responded with four runs in the third and five more in the fifth, keeping the Panthers off the board until the seventh inning, when Principia strung together five consecutive singles. Josh Dement, Drake Stilwell, Dawson Short, and Cooper Martinez all recorded multi-hit games, but the late rally wasn't enough as Castleton secured a 15-4 victory.
Game 3: Ozarks 17, Principia 4
In Sunday's series finale, Cole Christensen delivered a strong start, keeping the game scoreless through the first inning. Skyler Stock gave the Panthers an early spark, blasting his second home run of the series to open the scoring. Principia extended its lead to 3-0 in the third, but Ozarks quickly responded with three runs in the bottom half and four more in the fourth.
With the bases loaded, Nick Dolci entered in relief and kept the game within reach, escaping the jam with a strikeout and an inning-ending double play. In the fifth, Justice Fortson delivered a milestone moment, crushing his first collegiate home run to cut the deficit to 7-4.
Fortson reflected on his big moment said "The adrenaline from catching a barrel, paired with the excitement of watching the ball fly over the fence, is a feeling like no other. Honestly, I was just going for third off the bat."
Despite the momentum shift, Ozarks ended the game in dramatic fashion, hitting a walk-off grand slam to hand the Panthers an 17-4 loss.
Stock, who led the team offensively with two home runs on the weekend, spoke about his approach at the plate. "I felt great at the plate. I was just seeing the ball well and kept getting pitches I could drive."
Looking Ahead: After a challenging opening weekend, the Panthers will look to bounce back in their home opener next Friday at 3:00 pm against Maranatha Baptist.
