STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Junior LHP
Kevin Kernan (Mahopic, N.Y.) pitched the Stony Brook baseball team to a split of the America East Conference opening doubleheader against visiting Hartford on Friday afternoon at Joe Nathan Field.
Kernan was called upon in the third inning of game two with the Seawolves (7-13, 1-1 AE) trailing 5-1 and tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, allowed just two hits and struck out five to pick up his first win of the season and help salvage the doubleheader against the Hawks (3-10, 1-1 AE) who earned a 8-7 win in game one.
In addition to Kernan's performance, Stony Brook's offense was sparked by senior 3B
Jeremy Giles (Claremont, Calif.), senior 1B
Casey Baker (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) and sophomore 2B
Brandon Janofsky (Jackson, N.J.) in game two. Giles blasted a three-run home run to cap a five-run sixth inning, while Baker had a pair of hits, including a triple and three RBI. Janofsky collected his second three-hit game of the season and scored three times.
Game One Turning Point
Hartford entered the top of the ninth inning trailing Stony Brook 7-5, but plated three runs on three hits to take the lead. The Seawolves left a pair of runners on base in the bottom half of the inning and Hartford took game one.
Game Two Turning Point
With the game tied a 5-5 in the fifth inning, the Seawolves sent eight batters to the plate and scored five runs, including an RBI single by sophomore C
Sean Buckhout (West Nyack, N.Y.) that scored junior LF
Andruw Gazzola (Coram, N.Y.) from third with the go ahead run.
Quoting Head Coach Matt Senk
"It was a very disappointing loss in the first game. We let that game get away from us and it was disappointing, but the guys did a great job of hanging in there in the second game.
Kevin Kernan came in and did a great job for us and the offense took care of business and we got ourselves a split. We are back in position to come back out tomorrow and win the series."
Notes
- Senior 3B Jeremy Giles (Claremont, Calif.) belted his first home run of the season and the second of his career in the fifth inning of game 2.
- Senior 1B Casey Baker (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) had two hits in game two for his eight multi-hit game of the season.
- Sophomore 2B Brandon Janofsky (Jackson, N.J.) had three hits in game 2 for his fourth multi-hit game of the season and second three-hit game.
- Junior LHP Kevin Kernan (Mahopic, N.Y.) earned his first win of the season in game 2 and the fourth of his career.
On Deck
Stony Brook and Hartford will wrap up the series at 11 a.m. (TIME CHANGE) on Saturday before the Seawolves continue the homestand by hosting Marist on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. and welcoming UAlbany to Joe Nathan next weekend for a three-game America East series.
