STONY BROOK, N.Y. — The Anthony Gilardi era opened with a dramatic win.

Caleb Pearson scored with 7.9 seconds remaining in the first overtime period and the Stony Brook men's lacrosse team produced a 13-12 victory in its season opener on Tuesday night against St. John's at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

"I was just fortunate enough to get the ball in the back alley," said Pearson, a sophomore from Langley, B.C., who tallied his first career game-winner. "It was an unbelievable feeling — an unbelievable feeling scoring that last goal in OT and getting the victory for us."

Gilardi, the former Towson associate head coach, earned his first collegiate head-coaching win.

Stony Brook notched its fifth straight victory in the matchup against the Red Storm (0-2).

"I told them in the locker room and I told them in every huddle: 'We're in this thing together,'" Gilardi said. "Those guys fought and battled. There was a lot of learning and first-game jitters. We just continued to play through it. I couldn't be more proud of those guys."

Tom Haun had scored the equalizer — and his third goal of the game — with five minutes remaining in the third quarter when he collected the rebound of a shot from Liam Kalbacher at the edge of the crease and whipped the ball past Red Storm goalie Brody Agres for a man-up goal.

Thirty seconds later, Mike McCannell gave Stony Brook its first lead of the game, 10-9.

In all, Stony Brook rattled off five straight goals spanning the third and fourth quarters to open a three-goal lead.

The Seawolves held St. John's scoreless over a 17-minute span.

However, the Red Storm eventually pulled even at 12 with 2:08 remaining to force overtime.

Haun produced his 14th career hat trick as well as a team-high-matching five ground balls.

Stony Brook had trailed by three goals on three different occasions before halftime — 3-0, 6-3 and 7-4. The Seawolves then rallied with consecutive goals from Haun, Chris Pickel Jr., and Caleb Pearson in the final 3:10 of the second quarter to pull even at 7 at the break.

"I think there was definitely the first-game jitters," Haun said. "On transition, we were forcing it a little bit, rushing certain things, not getting into our sets. I think that's where we have our advantage is on the six-on-six sets when we slow everything down and everybody plays their game."

Michael Bollinger made 13 saves in the victory.

Cory VanGinhoven, Patrick Kaschalk, Pearson and Pickel contributed two goals apiece.

Kalbacher and Michael Sabella, who had five ground balls and three caused turnovers, started in their collegiate debuts.

Stony Brook returns to action Saturday at Fairfield.

As for Gilardi earning his first head-coach victory, he downplayed the achievement.

"That's how you draw it up for your first game, right? Ups and downs and then a big, dramatic win. It's a storybook ending. It's exciting," he dryly said. "It's really not about me. It's about the guys on the team.

"Those guys have bought in from Day 1 in everything we've asked them to do. For those guys to get rewarded with an effort like this shows all the lifting with our strength coach and all of those things really matter."