April 5, 2002

ON DECK: Stony Brook returns to America East Conference play this weekend as the Seawolves play host to defending champion Boston University. SBU has won three of its last four games, all non-conference matchups.

SERIES HISTORY: The two teams have never met.

ABOUT THE TERRIERS: Defending regular-season champion Boston University has won six of its last seven games after starting the season 3-16. The Terriers swept Vermont last weekend in their conference opener, giving up just one run against the Catamounts. Freshman shortstop Jamie Haas leads the Terriers with a .304 batting average, collecting a team-high 24 hits on the year. On the mound, Robyn Horrick has made the most appearances, posting a record of 4-4. Horrick has allowed just nine earned runs in 71.0 innings (0.89 ERA) while striking out 69 and walking just 15.

LAST TIME OUT: Stony Brook pitchers Stephanie Poetzsch and Lindsey DeLaRosa each earned a shutout victory as the Seawolves swept Fairleigh Dickinson in a doubleheader at University Field on Thursday afternoon. Poetzsch scattered three hits and struck out 15 in a 6-0 victory in game one, while the Lady Knights (4-8) managed just four hits in game two in a 4-0 Seawolves victory. The Seawolves came out on fire in the first game, as Stephanie DiBiase and Colleen McCarthy each touched up FDU pitcher Anneliese Padilla for a base hit to open the game. Kristen Brust then crushed a shot over the left field fence, her fourth homer of the year, to give Stony Brook a quick 3-0 lead. DiBiase's RBI single in the second drove in Jen Milito, and the Seawolves added two runs in the third on a wild pitch and a passed ball to go up 6-0. Meanwhile, Fairleigh Dickinson could get nothing going offensively, managing its first hit in the sixth, but the Seawolves held on for the win. Poetzsch earned her ninth win giving up just three hits and walking just two batters while striking out 15. The Seawolves got off to a slower start in game two, but Shea Carpenter got SBU on the board in the second inning. After Cass Broadwater reached first on a hit by pitch and Colleen McCarthy walked, Carpenter blasted a shot to right field that sent both runners across the plate. In the fifth, McCarthy cranked her second homerun of the year to extend Stony Brook's lead to 3-0. Amanda Staschuk's RBI single in the sixth plated Jane Stein to round out the scoring. The Lady Knights managed just four hits against DeLaRosa, who struck out five and walked none to earn her second victory of the year.

PATCH TIES SCHOOL RECORD: Stephanie Poetzsch tied her own school record for most strikeouts in game with 15 K's against the Lady Knights on Thursday. Poetzsch scattered three hits and walked just two batters in earning her ninth win. FDU ruined the no-hitter in the sixth inning, but Poetzsch still posted her third complete-game shutout. Poetzsch has 113 strikeouts on the year and an ERA of 2.18 in 103.1 innings pitched.

SEAWOLVES GOING YARD: Kristen Brust and Colleen McCarthy each cranked a homerun against Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday to give Stony Brook its highest-ever homerun total in the program's history. The Seawolves now have 13 on the year in just 23 games. The previous high was 12 set last year.

DENYING THE KNIGHTS: Fairleigh Dickinson failed to score a run against the Seawolves in Thursday's doubleheader, giving both Stephanie Poetzsch and Lindsey DeLaRosa a shutout. It marked Poetzsch's third on the year and the first for DeLaRosa. The Lady Knights also managed just seven hits on the afternoon.

BRUST LEADS THE WAY: Freshman Kristen Brust continued her hot hitting streak against the Lady Knights on Thursday, blasting her fourth homerun of the year. Brust, who has two three-run homerunsto her credit in the Seawolves' last six games, leads Stony Brook with 21 hits on the season. Her 11 RBI are the second-most on the team.

OH-MANDA: Sophomore outfielder Amanda Staschuk was named Stony Brook's Athlete of the Week this week for an outstanding effort in the Seawolves' games last week. Agaisnt Central Connecticut, she was 2-for-5 including a three-run homerun and had four RBI. The following day, she went 2-for-5 in a doubleheader with Wagner and belted a homer for the second straight game. She also collected an RBI and scored two runs against the Seahawks. After collecting just eight hits all of last year, Staschuk now has a team-high 21 on the season. Her .344 batting average also leads the team.

CARPENTER'S SKILLS: Shea Carpenter continues to be solid both offensively and defensively for the Seawolves. The catcher has yet to make an error behind the plate and has thrown out nine of 16 stolen base attempts. Her performance against Albany last weekend was especially crucial, as she tagged two potential runs out at the plate on throws from the outfield. Carpenter also came up big against Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday, going 2-for-3 with two RBI in the nightcap. Her 14 RBI on the season lead the team, while her .333 batting average is second-highest.

SEAWOLVES IN THE STATS: In the America East statistics released Monday, Amanda Staschuk ranked fourth in the America East in batting average (.345) . . . Stephanie DiBiase was fourth in runs scored (13) . . . DiBiase's 7-7 stolen bases rank third . . . Kristen Brust leads the league in doubles (7) . . . Brust's 36 total bases are also tops in the conference . . . Stephanie Poetzsch leads the America East with 98 strikeouts.

EYE ON THE RECORD BOOKS: Poetzsch's 113 strikeouts so far this season is the third-highest season total in history . . . she holds the top two spots with totals of 231 and 119 . . .