March 30, 2008

Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Sophomore Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.) hit a two-out two-run double in the eighth inning that proved to be the game winner as the Stony Brook University baseball team defeated the New York Tech Bears 6-4 to complete a four-game sweep on Sunday afternoon at University Field. The Seawolves improve to 10-10 with the victory while the Bears fall to 5-8.

Stephan came up with runners on second and third and two outs in the eighth and doubled down the right-field line to push the Stony Brook lead to 6-3. The insurance runs proved to be important as the Bears loaded the bases with one out against sophomore Jeremy Nowak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.). Denten Neill then grounded one to third that was mishandled by the Seawolves, allowing a run to score. Nowak then faced Mike LaLuna with the bases still loaded and got him to ground into a double play to end the game.

Freshman Evan Stecko-Haley (Coral Springs, Fla.) picked up his first career victory for the Seawolves while Nowak earned his third save, allowing an unearned run in 3.0 innings of work. John Eichorn took the loss for the Bears, giving up two runs and five hits in 4.0 innings.

Stony Brook took an early 2-0 lead with two runs in the second as freshman Nick Thode (Huntington Station, N.Y.) scored on a wild pitch and junior Keith Fier (Armonk, N.Y.) then came home on a double-steal. The Bears got on the board in the fifth on a Christian Dienna sacrifice fly and then took the lead in the sixth on a Neill two-run double.

But the Seawolves answered right back in the their half of the sixth as Fier singled with one out and then came home on a RBI double from junior Brian Witkowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) to tie the game. Freshman Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) then reached on an infield single to bring up Stephan who was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior Steven Mazzurco (Selden, N.Y.) followed with an RBI groundout to give SBU a 4-3 lead.

Junior Mike Errigo (Bayside, N.Y.) started for the Seawolves, allowing a run and six hits in 5.0 innings while striking out seven. Mazzurco, Marshall and Fier lead the Stony Brook offense with two hits apiece. Five players recorded multiple hits for the Bears who stranded 16 runners.

The Seawolves return to action on Friday, hosting the Binghamton Bearcats at University Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m