HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Neumann University Baseball team closed out their 2025 regular season with an Atlantic East Conference win over Centenary University on Saturday afternoon. The final score was 9-8.
 
Brandon Colon led the Knights by going 3 for 5 with two doubles, three runs batted in, and a run scored. Thomas Carroll was 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, an RBI, and three runs scored. Gatlin Hovenstine earned the win in relief to improve his record to 3-1. He went 2.2 innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one. Cam Leighton picked up the save, the first of his career, giving up one earned run on one hit, striking out one, in the ninth.
 
Anthony Rakotz led off the game with a walk and two batters later, Carroll walked. Colon drove in the game's first run with an RBI single to center, scoring Rakotz. Andrew Brown followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to plater Carroll for the 2-0 lead. Centenary was able to pull back within one, in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI infield single.
 
With one out in the third, Carroll hit a double into left and Colon quickly followed with a double of his own, this time to center, to score Carroll for a 3-1 lead. The Cyclones got that run right back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single to left. In the sixth, they tied the game with an RBI triple. They then took the lead on a sacrifice fly.
 
In the seventh, Donovan Brooks led off with a walk, moved to second on a Rakotz single, and then to third with an infield single by AJ Nardo, loading the bases. Carroll then walked to tie the game and Colon drove in Rakotz on a grounder for the lead. Nardo doubled the lead, coming in to score on a wild pitch. Brown followed with a walk, drawing a call to the bullpen. Chris Balshuweit came in to pinch run for Brown and took off for second, moving to third on a throwing error, plating Carroll. Josh Finger was hit by a pitch then Thomas Elgrim drove in Balshuweit on a squeeze for the 8-4 lead.
 
Centenary again had an answer as they plated two after the stretch. Two bases loaded walks allowed them to pull within two. In the ninth, Colon led off with a double and was moved to third on a Balshuweit sacrifice bunt. Colon would score a major insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Finger.
 
After a leadoff solo home run, and a run scoring wild pitch, the Cyclones had the tying run at the plate but the Knights hung on for the win.
 
Neumann (25-11, 11-4 Atlantic East) have earned a berth in the Atlantic East Conference tournament and will be the second seed. They'll start the playoff run on Wednesday afternoon when they host Centenary.