March 22, 2009

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Freshman Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.) and senior Michael Tansey (Valley Stream, N.Y.) each recorded two hits and an RBI and junior Matt Harloff (Valley Stream, N.Y.) allowed just one run in 3.2 innings of relief to lead the Stony Brook University baseball team to a 8-3 victory over the Le Moyne Dolphins in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at University Field. The Dolphins used a seven-run first on their way to a 10-7 victory in the second game. Stony Brook is now 5-8 on the season while Le Moyne is 4-13.

Le Moyne grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first game, getting two runs in first on a Chris Haynes sacrifice fly and a Matt Marra RBI single. The Seawolves scored a run of their own in bottom of the first as Cantwell walked with one out, moved to third on two wild pitches and then came home on a run-scoring single from junior Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.).

Stony Brook then took the lead in the second, striking for three runs. Junior Jeremy Nowak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) led off the inning with a double and then moved to third when the Dolphins mishandled a bunt from senior Chad Rebecca (Mount Prospect, Ill.). Freshman Sal Intagliata (Franklin Square, N.Y.) then flew out to right but senior Keith Fier (Armonk, N.Y.) followed with a bunt single up the first base line, allowing Nowak to come across with the tying run.

Cantwell then walked to load the bases, bringing up sophomore Nick Thode (Huntington Station, N.Y.) who grounded one to shortstop. The Dolphins got the force out at second but second baseman Brett Botsford's relay throw to first went wide of the bag, allowing both Fier and Rebecca to score.

The Seawolves pushed their lead to 5-2 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from junior Robert Dyer (Selden, N.Y.). SBU then put the game away in the sixth, scoring three runs. Cantwell singled in the first run of the inning with one out and then came around to score on another Le Moyne error. Tansey drove in the final run of the inning with an RBI double.

Harloff picked up the victory for the Seawolves in game one, allowing just the one run on four hits in 3.2 innings of relief. Sophomore Joe Goglia (Branford, Conn.) started for SBU, giving up two runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work. Cory Nelson took the loss for Le Moyne as he allowed five runs, two earned, in 5.0 innings.

Le Moyne took control of game two immediately, scoring seven runs in the top of the first. Rich Brown had the big hit of the inning, a three-run inside-the-park home run. Five of the seven first-inning runs were unearned. The Dolphins added a run in the third on a run-scoring double from Brown.

The Seawolves got two runs back in the bottom of third with one coming on a run-scoring single from sophomore Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario). It looked as if SBU would go quietly in the fourth as Le Moyne starter Derek Zielinski retired the first two batters of the inning. But Stony Brook then strung three singles together to load the bases for senior Brian Witkowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), who drilled a grand slam over the right-center field fence. Marshall followed with the first home run of his career to bring the Seawolves within 8-7.

But that is as close as SBU would get as Tom McDermott relieved Zielinski to start the fifth and did not allow the Seawolves to score the rest of the way. Le Moyne scored the final two runs of the game in the sixth on a RBI groundout from Botsford and a run-scoring single from Matt Nandin.

McDermott picked up the victory for the Dolphins, allowing just a hit and a walk in his 5.0 innings of work. Sophomore Evan Stecko-Haley (Coral Springs, Fla.) took the loss for Stony Brook as he gave up 10 runs, five unearned, in 5.1 innings. Witkowski led the Seawolves offense in game two as he went 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored.

The Seawolves return to action on Wednesday, hosting Fordham at University Field. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.