May 14, 2004

Box Score

Orono, Maine - The Stony Brook softball team jumped out to 4-0 lead on Maine in the winner's bracket of the America East tournament on Friday afternoon, but the Black Bears rallied for seven unanswered runs to down the Seawolves 7-4 at Kessock Field. The Seawolves fall to the loser's bracket in the double elimination tournament and will take the field again this afternoon at 4 p.m. when they face the winner of the elimination game between Albany and Boston University.

Stony Brook (30-32) took a commanding lead after three innings of play, scoring a pair of runs in both the top of the second and third. Marissa Servello put the Seawolves on the board in the second with a two-run single to score Rachael Vogl and Jamie Neuner. The Seawolves loaded the bases in the third before Vogl drew a walk to plate Kristen Brust with the first run of the inning and Margaret Blair came through with a single to score Hayley Durham and give SB at 4-0 lead.

Maine (26-20) stormed back in the bottom of the third inning, pulling within a run, 4-3, on a two-run double by Molly McKinney and an RBI single by Amy Kuhl that scored McKinney. The Black Bears kept the pressure on in the next frame, taking a 5-4 lead on a two-run triple by Lauren Dulkis and adding a run when Dulkis scored on a passed ball.

Maine added an insurance run in the sixth when Jess Brady doubled to right, stole third base and scored on a throwing error. That would be all the scoring on the day as Maine held on for the 7-4 victory.

First-team all-conference selection Brust went 4-for-4 with a run scored while Servello was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Sarah Hoffman (10-13) suffered the loss for the Seawolves.

Maine was led by Brittany Cheney, who went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Dulkis and McKinney drove in two runs apiece. Sarah Bennis (9-9) threw five innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.

Stony Brook will be back in action this afternoon at 4 p.m. when they take on the winner of the elimination game between Albany and Boston University. The winner of the four o'clock game will move on to play Maine in the championship at noon tomorrow, having to win two games from the Black Bears in the double-elimination format.