March 25, 2015

Final Stats

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Junior Jane Sallen (Lake Worth, Fla.) pitched 8.1 scoreless innings and the Seawolves blasted three home runs over two games to help the Stony Brook softball team (9-8) to a pair of one-run wins over CCSU on Wednesday. Freshman Chelsea Evans (Merced, Calif.) put the finishing touches on a successful home opener with a clutch walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh of game two to wrap up the sweep.

Bryant's Reaction

"I am really glad we got the two games in today," said head coach Megan Bryant. "It's always nice to be playing at home. We wish the conditions could have been a little bit nicer, but we found a way to get two wins off of a good Central Connecticut team."

Game One

Sallen went pitch-for-pitch with one of the top pitchers in the Northeast in CCSU's Laura Messina. The lone mistake either pitcher made the entire game was when Messina left a pitch up in the zone to senior Shayla Giosia (Runnemede, N.J.) in the first inning. Giosia turned on the pitch and lifted a fly ball over the fence in left to give Stony Brook a 1-0 lead.

That was all the run support Sallen would need as she held the Blue Devils to just three hits and four base runners the entire game. She completed her first complete game shutout of the season in the top of the seventh when she got Brittany Camara to ground out to Evans at shortstop with the tying run on third.

Game Two

Stony Brook faired better against Messina in game two than game one, utilizng the long ball to jump out to a five-run lead. Senior Bria Green (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) did first damage with a two-run bomb to dead center in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Melissa Phelan (Saddle Brook, N.J.) joined in on the fun an inning later with a three-run shot to give Stony Brook a 5-0 lead.

Starting pitcher Allison Cukrov (Irvine, Calif.) kept the Blue Devils bats at bay through the first five innings, limiting CCSU to just two hits, but the visitors fought back with a six-run sixth inning to take their first lead of the day. They held the 6-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning when junior Alexandra Pisciotta (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) led off the inning with a single to left. After Giosia and Green were retired, Phelan and junior Diane Caruso (Middletown, N.Y.) worked walks to load the bases for Evans. She lined the third pitch of the at-bat into the gap in right center to easily score Phelan from second base and give the Seawolves the sweep.

Notes

• The Seawolves ran their home run total to 21 in just 17 games. Their 1.24 home runs/game mark ranks t-26th in the nation.
• Pisciotta was Stony Brook's leading hitter, collecting three base knocks in six at-bats. She is currently riding an 11-game hit streak.
• Eight of the Seawolves 12 hits went for extra bases. Green and Giosia led the power surge with a double and home run each.
• Sallen allowed just four hits and a walk over 8.1 innings in the two games combined.
• Five of Stony Brook's nine wins this season have come in their final at-bats.

Up Next

Stony Brook opens conference play next weekend in a rematch of last year's America East Championship. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 28, and a single game on Sunday, Mar. 29 at noon.