March 29, 2008

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Old Westbury, N.Y. - Junior Brian Witkowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) hit a go-ahead two-run double with one out in the 10th inning to lead the Stony Brook University baseball team to a 10-7 victory over the New York Tech Bears in game two of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at President's Field. Senior Gary Novakowski (Prospect, Conn.) tossed a seven-hitter to lead the Seawolves to a 7-1 win in game one. Stony Brook improves to 9-10 while the Bears fall to 5-7.

The Seawolves entered the ninth inning of game two down 7-6 but sophomore Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.) smashed a two-out solo home run to tie the game. Junior Jeremy Nowak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) then came on in the bottom of the inning and retired the side to send the contest into extra innings.

SBU then loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning to bring up Witkowski who hit a two-run single to left-center field to give the Seawolves a 9-7 lead. Freshman Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 10-7 and Nowak then got the Bears in order to secure the sweep for the Stony Brook.

An RBI single from junior Steven Mazzurco (Selden, N.Y.) in the first gave the Seawolves an early 1-0 lead and the visitors then added three more in the second with the help of two NYIT errors. The Bears got on the board in the third on a Mike LaLuna sacrifice fly but Stony Brook added two runs in the fourth as junior Justin Echevarria (Uniondale, N.Y.) scored on a wild pitch and Marshall then drove in a run with an RBI groundout.

But NYIT would not go quietly, erupting for six runs in the fourth. Julian Richards started the rally with a two-run bases loaded single and Denten Neill then made it 6-4 with an RBI single. LaLuna followed with another RBI single to make it 6-5, bringing up Effrey Valdez who drove a two-run double down the left-field line to give the Bears a lead they would hold until the ninth.

Witkowski finished the day with three hits in six at-bats while Mazzurco and junior Michael Tansey (Valley Stream, N.Y.) added two hits apiece. Nowak picked up the victory, allowing just one runner in 2.0 innings of work.

SBU took an early lead in game one as well, as Nowak doubled with two outs in the first to drive in Stephan who had reached on a single.

But the Seawolves put the game out of reach with five runs in the third, loading the bases with no out. Nowak walked to force in a run and freshman Nick Thode (Huntington Station, N.Y.) was then hit by a pitch to make it 3-0. Junior Chad Rebecca (Mt. Prosepct, Ill.) walked to force in another run and sophomore Chris Maier (Farmingdale, N.Y.) followed with an RBI single to drive in the fourth run of the frame. Junior Rob Dyer (Selden, N.Y.) knocked in the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

Novakowski was tremendous on the mound for the Seawolves, allowing just one run and seven hits in his 7.0 innings of work. The right-hander struck out four and walked just one. Eric Johnson took the loss for NYIT, giving up six runs in 2.1 innings. Marshall, Nowak and Stephan led the Stony Brook offense with two hits each.

The Seawolves will go for the sweep of the four-game series on Sunday at University Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.