April 29, 2002
Final Stats
Stony Brook, N.Y. -
After dropping game one against Maine, 1-0, the Stony Brook softball team (22-25, 7-13 America East) rebounded behind the strong hitting of freshman Stephanie DiBiase to take game two, 3-1, and earn a split with the Black Bears on Monday afternoon. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but was postponed due to rain.
Jenna Merchant pitched a complete-game shutout for Maine (22-28, 10-10 America East) in the first game, as an RBI double by Erica Sobel in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the difference. The Seawolves managed just four hits against Merchant, who allowed one walk and struck out two in seven innings to earn the win.
Stephanie Poetzsch (16-13) took the loss for Stony Brook, allowing five hits, one run and one walk with six strikeouts in seven innings.
Game two got off to a bad start for pitcher Lindsey DeLaRosa and the Seawolves, as Sobel's two-out infield hit scored Leigh Ann Hlywak for an early 1-0 Maine lead. However, DeLaRosa shut down the Black Bears the remainder of the game, allowing just two more hits.
Meanwhile, DiBiase's bat caught fire for the Seawolves, and it paid off in the third inning when she crushed a one-out double to center field. The throw by centerfielder Jess Brady was off the mark at third and out of play, awarding DiBiase third base and sending Marissa Servello across home plate. Colleen McCarthy followed with an RBI single that drove in DiBiase for a 2-1 Seawolves lead. Two more throwing errors by the Black Bears led to two more Seawolves in scoring position, but Stony Brook came up empty-handed.
However, DiBiase extended the lead to 3-1 with a lead-off homerun over the right centerfield fence in the fifth inning, her fifth dinger of the year. DiBiase finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
DeLaRosa (6-11) went the distance to earn the win, allowing only four hits, one run and no walks while striking out two.
Stony Brook returns to action on Tuesday, when the Seawolves travel to face Hofstra in a doubleheader that begins at 3:30 p.m.
