May 3, 2003

Final Stats

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook softball team battled back from deficits in both games to sweep an exciting doubleheader from Binghamton at University Field on Saturday afternoon. The Seawolves won game one in eight innings, 3-2, then captured the nightcap in the bottom of the seventh, 5-4. With the victories, the Seawolves improve to 22-31 overall and 10-10 in the America East, clinching their first-ever berth in the America East Tournament. Binghamton falls to 17-20, 7-11.

In game one, Stephanie McCarthy gave Stony Brook a 1-0 lead in the third when she smashed a homerun over the left field fence. The Bearcats evened the game at 1-1 in the sixth with Jessica Chellis' RBI double, and the score remained tied at the end of seven innings.

Chellis struck again in the eighth, as her solo homerun gave the 2-1 edge to the Bearcats. But the Seawolves would answer in the bottom half of the inning. After leadoff Colleen McCarthy grounded out, Stephanie DiBiase, who was a perfect 3-for-3 against pitcher Michelle Weeks heading into the inning, came to the plate. She smacked a double to right center field and Marissa Servello followed with a single to left to advance DiBiase. Kristen Brust drove in the tying run with a single down the left field line. Hayley Durham followed with a base hit that ricocheted off Week's foot to load the bases. Jane Stein took the first offering from relief pitcher Mary Karen Wheat and sent it to right center field, scoring Servello for the winning run.

DiBiase collected four of the Seawolves' nine hits to lead Stony Brook at the plate. Chellis led the Bearcats with a 2-for-4 outing and two RBI.

Angela Andrews (16-18) picked up the win, allowing two runs on only five hits, walking three and striking out five. Weeks (10-5) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out eight.

Game two proved to be just as dramatic. McCarthy struck again, blasting her second round-tripper of the day and fourth of the year to give Stony Brook a 1-0 edge in the bottom of the second inning. The Bearcats responded in the next frame with a homerun of their own, a solo shot coming off the bat of Leah Truncale to even the game at 1-1. The score remaining tied until the pivotal seventh inning. The Bearcats produced a two-out rally that began when Stony Brook pitcher Jessica Paparella gave up a walk to Truncale. Marybeth Yerdon followed with a base hit to left field, and Rose Barre's RBI single scored Truncale. A throwing error allowed Yerdon to score and Barre to advance to third. An RBI double by Marisa DeStasio made the score 4-1, before Christine Sweeney grounded out to end the inning.

Stony Brook opened their half of the inning with a groundout, but then DiBiase came up big again, smashing a solo shot, her eighth of the year, to draw the Seawolves to within 4-2. Two batters later, Brust would follow suit, cracking a two-out dinger, her 13th of the year, to close the gap to 4-3. Durham followed with a double, bringing Stein to the plate. Stein's RBI single sent Durham home for the tying run, and Laura Bradford followed with an RBI single that gave Stony Brook the 5-4 victory.

Durham was 3-for-4, while DiBiase and Bradford each collected a pair of hits.

Paparella (7-13) earned the win, allowing four runs on five hits, walking three and striking out three. Katie Hansen (0-7) was credited with the loss, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out two in her 5.1 innings of work.

The two teams square off again tomorrow in a doubleheader that begins at noon.