March 18, 2011

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's baseball team will look to continue its winning ways this weekend, heading to New Jersey to participate in the Seton Hall Rawlings Strike Out Cancer tournament. The Seawolves have won six straight and will face off against NJIT, Fordham and the host Pirates.

Seton Hall Rawlings Strike Out Cancer tournament
South Orange, N.J.; Owen T. Carroll Field

Probable Starters


Stony Brook vs. NJIT
Friday, March 18, 4 p.m.
SBU - (RHP) Frankie Vanderka (1-0, 1.08 ERA, 8.1 IP, 8K)

NJIT - (LHP) Austin McAuliffe (0-0, 9.53 ERA, 5.2 IP, 3K)

Stony Brook vs. Fordham
Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m.
SBU - (RHP) Nick Tropeano (2-1, 1.37 ERA, 19.2 IP, 11 hits, 21K)

Fordham - (RHP) Max Krakowiak (2-1, 3.63 ERA, 22.1 IP, 23K)

Stony Brook vs. Seton Hall
Saturday, March 19, 2 p.m.
SBU- (RHP) Tyler Johnson (2-1, 4.85 ERA, 13.0 IP, 9K)
Seton Hall- (RHP) Joe DiRocco (2-0, 1.85 ERA, 24.1 IP, 16 K)

Live
All the Seawolves games can be followed through gametracker at www.goseawolves.org.

Last time out
Stony Brook 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 improved 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.

Scouting NJIT
The Highlanders are 2-5 on the season and are hitting just .184 as a team. NJIT has lost two straight and is coming off an 8-1 loss to Manhattan on Tuesday.

Southpaw Austin McAuliffe will take the hill against the Seawolves. McAuliffe has made two appearances this season, including one start. The Highlanders are giving up almost eight runs per game.

Scouting Fordham
Fordham (11-5) won eight of its first 10 games, its best start since 1988. The Rams are coming off a 5-2 loss to Campbell on Wednesday after splitting a four-game series with Charleston Southern last weekend.

The Rams will throw right-hander Max Krakowiak at the Seawolves. Krakowiak is 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA and has struck out 23 batters in 22.1 innings. Fordham is averaging six runs per game and has stolen 26 bases in 37 attempts.

Ryan Lee is hitting .364 with nine RBI to lead the Stony Brook offense. The Rams were picked seventh in the Atlantic-10 preseason coaches poll.

Scouting Seton Hall
The Pirates are 5-8 and have lost two straight following a three-game winning streak. Seton Hall was picked 11th out of 12 teams in the Big East preseason coaches poll.

Stony Brook and Seton Hall have one common opponent as each played a three-game series against nationally-ranked North Carolina. The Seawolves were swept while the Pirate won one of the three games.

Seton Hall will throw Joe DiRocco against the Seawolves on Saturday. DiRocco is 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA in four starts this season. The right-hander has allowed just 15 hits in 24.1 innings but has walked 11 batters.