STONY BROOK, N.Y. — After a five-run fifth, it looked as if the Stony Brook baseball team had all the momentum with a 7-4 advantage.
Then, the clouds opened to pouring rain and the runs followed. The teams combined for 23 runs in the final four innings, including NJIT taking 14 of them in an 18-16 victory over the Seawolves at Joe Nathan Field on Saturday afternoon.
Combined with Maine's loss at Hartford, Stony Brook's chances at a regular season are extended by a day as they clinch with a win tomorrow and a Maine loss to Hartford.
Evan Giordano and
Evan Fox combined for a 7-for-10 day with five runs and seven RBI, including a pair of homers from Giordano and a bases-clearing triple from Fox.
Derek Yalon launched his second homer in as many days, sending a three-run shot over the left-field wall to give Stony Brook the lead in the inning.
Stony Brook was able to cut the deficit all the way to two in the ninth, as
Chris Leone worked a bases-loaded walk, Giordano was plunked with the bases juiced and Fox tripled and later scored on a wild pitch.
STATS AND NOTES
- The Seawolves set new season highs in runs (16), RBIs (15) and home runs (4) in the slugfest today. Evan Giordano's four runs are also the most by a Seawolves player in a game this season, while his two homers and Fox's four hits are tied for the most.
- Giordano's two-homer day is his second in the last three outings, matching the pair he had at Binghamton on May 15. He's also gone 7-for-11 at the plate during that stretch amid the back half of a six-game hitting streak. His home runs were Nos. 11 and 12 on the year and the 20th and 21st of his career. That brings him into a tie for sixth in the Division I era and 10th all-time, matching Dylan Resk and Andrew Larsen with 21 career long balls. The 12 homers tie him with William Carmona (2012) and Brian Witkowski (2009) for the sixth-most in a single season.
- Fox's four-hit performance is a new career high, besting the trio of three-hit outings he has had this season. His latest was a 3-for-5 day at NJIT on April 30. He also stole base No. 30 on the year, joining Nick Grande and Travis Jankowski as the only two Seawolves who have hit that mark. He has 51 stolen bases on his career, which is tied with Grande for third-most all time by a Seawolves player.
- Yalon's long ball is the third of the year and of his career. Driving in three runs on the day, he bested his 2021 output with 15 RBI on the 2022 campaign.
- Brett Paulsen added a 2-for-4 day, extending his hitting streak to a season-best 10 games. He is the third Seawolves player to reach double figures, joining Evan Fox (12) and Evan Giordano (10).
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"I'm clearly disappointed. We spoke as early as yesterday about going to try and win the regular season championship. We're still a game back as of now. As well as we played yesterday, we played just as poorly today. There were too many free bases and we had the inning from hell defensively but, we hung in till the end hopefully that carries over and that's the way we start the day tomorrow." - head coach
Matt Senk.
UP NEXT
Senior Day Saturday begins at 11:30 a.m., tomorrow with first pitch coming at Noon from Joe Nathan Field as the Seawolves vie for their third consecutive America East regular season title. A win and a Maine loss secures the trophy.
For an inside look at the Stony Brook baseball program, be sure to follow it on
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram.
