May 10, 2009

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

West Hartford, Conn. - Junior Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.) went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBI as the Stony Brook University baseball team used a seven-run sixth to cruise to a 17-1 victory over the Hartford Hawks this afternoon at Campus Field in the second game of an America East doubleheader. Hartford won the first game, 4-3. Stony Brook is now 27-19 overall and 12-8 in the America East.

The Seawolves jumped to an early lead in game two, scoring two runs in the first on a two-run single from sophomore Nick Thode (Huntington Station, N.Y.). Stony Brook added a run in the third on an RBI single from Stephan.

Hartford got on the board in the third as Jon Ricco doubled to lead off and eventually came home on a Seawolves error. SBU pushed its lead to 4-1 in the fifth on a run-scoring double from Stephan.

Stony Brook then exploded for the seven runs in the sixth, highlighted by a grand slam from Stephan. The Seawolves scored three more times in the seventh on an RBI triple from senior Chad Rebecca (Mount Prospect, Ill.) and a two-run home run from senior Brian Witkowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.).

Senior Marc Brown (Lancaster, Pa.) picked up the game two victory for the Seawolves, allowing only an unearned run on five hits in his 5.0 innings of work. The southpaw struck out five and did not walk a batter. Thode went 3-for-5 with three RBI for the Seawolves, who have seven of their last eight games.

Hartford took an early lead in the first game, scoring two runs in the first on an Andy Drexel RBI single and a Brady Stouffer sacrifice fly. The Seawolves got a run back in the second on a one-out home run from senior Michael Tansey (Valley Stream, N.Y.)

But Hartford answered with a run in the bottom of the second, on a Drew Sgro run-scoring single, to push its lead to 3-1. SBU cut the Hawks lead to 3-2 in the third on a long ball from junior Robert Dyer (Selden, N.Y.) and then tied the game in sixth on a lead off home run from Thode.

The Hawks nearly took the lead in the bottom of the sixth, putting runners on first and third with two out. But freshman right hander Nick Tropeano (West Islip, N.Y.) got Simon Kudernatsch to ground out to first to end the threat.

But Hartford starter Cory Beahm retired the Seawolves in order in the seventh and the Hawks then pushed across the game-winning run in the bottom half of the inning. Tropeano got Mike Amendola to line out to center for the first out but Drexel followed with a single and then advanced to third on a double from Stouffer.

SBU intentionally walked Ben Sobocinski to load the bases and Drexel then came home with the game-winning run on a Matt Walker fielder's choice. Beahm picked up the victory for the Hawks, allowing three runs on five hits in 7.0 innings.

The Seawolves return to action on Friday, May 15, hosting the Maine Black Bears for the beginning of a four-game series. First pitch for Friday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.