March 30, 2009

Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Junior Alyssa Struzenberg (Cooper City, Fla.) allowed just one hit in five innings as Stony Brook University's softball team beat Binghamton, 8-0, on Monday afternoon. The game was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but was postponed due to rain. Junior Kendall Blumenthal (Frederick, Md.) led the Seawolves offense with a career-high four RBI. The victory extends the team's winning streak to a school record 15-straight games and gives them ten-straight home wins, tying the mark for most consecutive home wins, which was set in 2004. Overall, the Seawolves are 19-3 (3-0 America East).

Stony Brook jumped out to an early lead on the Bearcats, taking advantage of a Binghamton fielding error to score two unearned runs. Blumenthal knocked in both runs with a two-out single down the left field line.

The Seawolves used a timely two-out hit to score twice more in the second inning. Sophomore Brijette Martin (New York, N.Y.) was the first to reach base with a single to center, which was followed by a bunt single by junior Vicki Kavitsky (Cherry Hill, N.J.). Two batters later, senior Kelsi Fanelli (Audubon, N.J.) drove a 1-2 pitch down the right field line to plate both runners and extend SBU's lead to four.

After a scoreless third Stony Brook's offense took off with four runs in the fourth, all scored with two outs. Fanelli was the first Seawolf to drive in a run, singling through the leftsitde, knocking in Martin from second. After senior Marissa Fleury (Mahopac, N.Y.) drew her second walk of the game, senior Kelly Oberto (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) singled back up the middle, scoring Fanelli and putting runners on first and second. Blumenthal then came through with her second two-RBI hit of the day, this time doubling off the left centerfield wall.

With an 8-0 cushion, Struzenberg recorded three strikeouts in the top of the fifth inning to close the game out for Stony Brook. In all, the junior recorded ten K's while issuing just two walks. The only hit of the game for Binghamton came in the third when Stephanie Kolodziejski lined a 2-1 pitch back up the middle. With 102 strikeouts on the season, Struzenberg moves into second place on Stony Brook's career strikeout list. She now has 476 career punchouts, trailing the all-time leader, Stephanie Poetzsch `03, by 156.

Stony Brook will play a non-conference doubleheader against Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. on Wednesday before traveling to Maine this weekend.