April 17, 2002

Final Stats

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Behind the outstanding pitching of senior Stephanie Poetzsch and timely hitting, the Stony Brook softball team earned a sweep over America East Conference rival Hartford in a doubleheader at University Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Seawolves shut out the Hawks, 3-0, in game one, and Stony Brook came away with a 5-4 extra-inning victory in the nightcap.

Stony Brook (16-21, 5-9 America East) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first game, as Stephanie DiBiase cranked her fourth homerun of the year in the third inning for the early lead. Four batters later, Jane Stein's RBI single to center field sent Kristen Brust across home plate. DiBiase struck again in the fourth with a two-out RBI single that plated Cass Broadwater.

The Hawks (12-9-1, 5-5 America East) managed just two hits against Poetzsch, who earned her fifth shutout. Poetzsch walked just two batters and struck out eight in seven innings.

Stony Brook got out to a quick start in the nightcap as well, opening up a 1-0 lead after the first inning. Stein's two-out single to left center field scored Amanda Staschuk and Kristen Brust to get the Seawolves going. But the Hawks battled back, scoring four unanswered runs to take the lead. Amy Sullivan's sacrifice fly and Kim Schwimmer's RBI single in the fourth inning evened the game at 2-2, and Hartford pulled ahead in the sixth with Schwimmer's two-run single before Poetzsch was sent in for Lindsey DeLaRosa to stop the bleeding.

The Seawolves countered with a rally of their own in the bottom of the inning. Brust led off with a base hit up the middle, and two batters later Stein singled up the middle to send her home. Three batters later, Broadwater's two-out base hit to right field tied the game once again at 4-4.

The Hawks got the bats going in the eighth and capitalized on a Stony Brook error to load the bases with just one out. However, Poetzsch pitched out of the jam, as Ryan Williams struck out and Bryn Weller's grounder was fielded easily by Poetzsch.

Staschuk's lead-off double in the eighth got the Seawolves' hopes up, but it wasn't until the ninth inning that the Seawolves put the game away. Broadwater took the first pitch from Liz Nadeau and sent it over the left center field fence to give Stony Brook the 5-4 comeback victory.

Poetzsch (13-11) picked up her second win of the afternoon, allowing just three hits, no runs and no walks while striking out three in 3 and one-third innings.

The Seawolves broke out of a recent hitting slump, exploding for 16 hits on the day. Stein was a stellar 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored, while Amanda Staschuk was 3-for-6 with a run scored. Stephanie DiBiase was the star in game one with a 3-for-3, two-RBI performance, while Cass Broadwater's ninth-inning heroics capped off a 3-for-4, two-RBI outing.

Stony Brook returns to action on Wednesday, April 18, in a non-conference doubleheader against Sacred Heart at University Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.