Baseball Gains Priceless Early Season Experience
Cougars Open with Invaluable Spring Break Trip
(Winter Haven, FL / Auburndale, FL / Davenport, FL) - Cougars baseball opened their season with a trip to Florida during spring break to play in the RussMatt Invitational, participating in the event for the fourth straight year. Holyoke gained invaluable early season experience by playing games in mid-March and secured the program's first-ever RussMatt game victory. The Cougars defeated Waubonsee CC (IL) 7-6 in the second game of their season-opening doubleheader and played six games while at the event.
Sophomore catcher Xavion Maldonado (Chicopee, MA / Chicopee HS) led the way for Holyoke in their victory, hitting 2 for 3 and driving in two RBI's. Freshman Ben Caron (Conway, MA / Frontier Regional HS) scored a pair of runs and hit a triple in the win that knocked in an RBI. Freshman Jon Paul Chaloux (Suffield, CT / Suffield HS) earned the win from the mound, pitching 5.2 innings, and freshman Alex West (Hadley, MA / Hopkins Academy) entered in relief to earn the save.
Men's baseball had a 1-5 record at the RussMatt Invitational. They will travel to play an away doubleheader in upstate NY this week and, if Cougar Field is playable, will play their home opener on Thursday, March 26th. The home opener will be Holyoke's first regional (conference) game of the season as they are scheduled to square off against Roxbury CC at 3:30pm. Let's go Cougars!
Photo: Maldonado at the plate during the 2025 season.