April 5, 2009

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Keith Fier's (Armonk, N.Y.) bunt single with two outs in the 10th inning scored senior Michael Tansey (Valley Stream, N.Y.) from third to give the Stony Brook University baseball team a thrilling 21-20 victory over the Vermont Catamounts in the second game of a doubleheader this afternoon at University Field. The Seawolves used a five-run sixth to rally for a 6-3 win in the first game. The Seawolves took three of four from the Catamounts over the weekend and are 12-11 overall and 3-1 in the America East.

The back and forth four hour, 13 minute second game featured a combined 41 runs, 39 hits and 14 pitchers. The 21 runs scored by the Seawolves is their most since defeating Wagner 22-7 on April 11, 2006. The 41 combined runs were the most in a Stony Brook game since SBU defeated Quinnipiac 27-20 in the 2000 season.

Senior Brian Witkowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), who went 4-for-5 with five RBI in the second game, sent the game into extra innings with a two-out RBI single in the ninth that just dropped over the outstretched glove of Vermont second baseman Brad Currier. Junior Chris Maier (Farmingdale, N.Y.), making his first ever pitching appearance, then retired Vermont in order to send the game to the bottom of the 10th tied at 20.

Junior Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.) flew out to left to start the inning but senior Steve Mazzurco (Selden, N.Y.) then walked and moved to second when Vermont reliever Leif Sorensen walked Tansey. Both runners then moved up on Sorensen wild pitch before the Catamounts walked freshman Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.) to load the bases. Sorensen then got junior Robert Dyer (Selden, N.Y.) to ground one to Currier, who threw home to force out Mazzurco.

But Fier followed by dropping a beautiful bunt down the third base line that allowed Tansey to scamper home with the winning run. Maier picked up the victory for the Seawolves, allowing just one run in his 2.0 innings of work. Sophomore Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) led the Stony Brook offense as he went 5-for-7 with an RBI and three runs scored, while Mazzurco chipped in with three hits in addition to scoring four runs. Matt Duffy went 4-for-4 with five RBI and four runs scored to lead UVM.

The Seawolves jumped to a 5-1 lead after three innings with the help of Witkowski, who homered to lead off the first and then singled to drive home senior Chad Rebecca (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) in the second. The Catamounts grabbed the lead with five runs in the fourth though, highlighted by a two-run triple from Dave Soltis.

Stony Brook answered with two runs in the fifth before the Catamounts exploded for seven runs in the sixth to take a 13-7 lead. Duffy capped the seven-run sixth with a grand slam just over the centerfield fence.

But the Seawolves responded with eight runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, all of which scored after two were out. The Catamounts nearly escaped the inning allowing no runs but Dyer's deep fly ball to center with two outs and the bases loaded just squirted out of the glove of UVM centerfielder Mark Micowski, which allowed all three base runners to score. Witkowski capped the inning with a two-run home run to right.

SBU pushed its lead to 17-13 in the seventh, on a solo home run from Stephan and a run-scoring single from Dyer, but Vermont scored six runs in the eighth to grab a 19-17 lead. The Seawolves would tie the game in the bottom of the inning on run-scoring doubles from Marshall and sophomore Nick Thode (Huntington Station, N.Y.).

Vermont gained one last lead with a run in the ninth before Witkowski's two-out hit sent the game to extra innings. Sorensen took the loss for the Catamounts, allowing a run in his 0.2 innings of work.

UVM jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first game, scoring two runs in the second on run-scoring singles from Tom Kelly and James Katsiroubas. The Seawolves got a run back in the fourth on a Cantwell sacrifice fly but Vermont answered with a run in the sixth to push its lead to 3-1.

SBU had an answer though, scoring five times in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead it would not relinquish. Rebecca tied the game at three with a one-out RBI single before Marshall drilled a two-out single through the right side of the infield to score Maier with the go-ahead run. Thode capped the inning with a two-run double.

Junior Jeremy Nowak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) then pitched a perfect seventh to secure the victory for Stony Brook. Senior Jonathan Kalkau (Bellmore, N.Y.) picked up his second win in as many days for SBU as he retired the only batter he faced to end the sixth. Vermont starter Justin Albert took the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings.

The Seawolves return to action on Tuesday, traveling to take on Virginia. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.