March 17, 2011

Box Score

Yaphank, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's baseball team used a four-run eighth to rally for a 5-2 victory over the Iona Gaels on Thursday afternoon. It was the sixth straight win for the Seawolves, who improve to 8-4 with the victory.

The teams entered the eighth tied 1-1 but James Beck led off with a home run to left-center field off freshman reliever Joshua Mason (Woodland Hills, Calif.) to give the Gaels a 2-1 lead. Mason retired the next three batters in order to send the game to the bottom of the eighth.

SBU loaded the bases with no outs and Iona brought in Sean Darsee to relieve Brian Callahan. Mason then lifted a fly ball to left-center field, allowing senior Stephen Marino (Lake Grove, N.Y.) to come home with the tying run.

Then, with freshman Michael Hubbard (Northridge, Calif.) at the plate, sophomore Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ontario) broke from second. Darsee turned and threw it to second basemen Nick Rossetti, who threw wide of third trying to throw out Nivins. Sophomore Travis Jankowski (Lancaster, Pa.) advanced to second on the errant throw, while Nivins was held at third.

Hubbard followed with a fly to center, allowing Nivins to come home with go-ahead run. Junior Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.) then ripped a double down the left-field line to make it 4-2. Senior Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) drove home Cantwell with a double to right-center.

Freshman Josh Barry (Seaford, N.Y.) relieved Mason to start the ninth and walked pinch hitter Kyle Charron to open the inning. Dean Dignelli then drilled a ground ball up the middle that seemed ticketed for center field. But sophomore second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ontario) made a diving backhand stop, flipping the ball with his glove to Marshall at second.

Marshall then threw to first to complete the double play. Barry then got Joe Torres to fly to center for first career save. Mason allowed a run in 2.0 innings to earn his first collegiate win.

Stony Brook grabbed the lead with a run in the fifth but the Gaels answered with an unearned run in the sixth to tie the game. Callahan took the loss for Iona as he was charged with three runs in 0.2 innings.

Junior Evan Stecko-Haley (Coral Springs, Fla.) started for the Seawolves and allowed just one hit in 3.0 innings. Sophomore James Campbell (Bridgeport, Conn.) followed with 2.0 scoreless innings.

The Seawolves return to action on Friday, taking on NJIT in the first game of the Seton Hall Strikeout Cancer Tournament. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.