LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After Stony Brook jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, the squad was unable to overcome the scorching California State University-Northridge offensive as the Matadors defeated the squad 20-5 on its Opening Day matchup.
The Seawolves (0-1, 0-0 CAA) got the action going first, as junior Evan Fox started the game with a base hit to center field. Following the Fox single, sophomore Anthony Gentile came to the plate for the first time as a Seawolf and pushed Fox to second after drawing a walk. Senior Shane Paradine in the cleanup spot jumped on the third pitch that he saw and lasered it to right field, bringing in Fox and moving Gentile to third.
Senior Ben Fero got the nod for the Seawolves today on the bump and got out of early trouble in the first inning by stranding two runners on base. However, the Matadors (1-0, 0-0 Big West) scored five runs in the next inning to take a 5-1.
Following a double by sophomore Matt Miceli that led to the New Jersey native scoring on a wild pitch in the third, the squad would suffer seven runs in the bottom half, taking a 10 run lead.
The Seawolves didn't go away without a fight, as they responded with two runs in the top half of the fourth. Junior Matt Brown-Eiring got the inning started with a walk and the senior Brett Paulsen notched his first hit of the afternoon, putting two runners on with one out. The tandem didn't wait long to score, as fellow senior Derek Yalon drove both Seawolves in from a double to right center, making it a 12-4 game.
The Matadors would score seven in the bottom of the fifth and ultimately took the 20-5 home victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- Paradine and Paulsen recorded a pair of Stony Brook's nine hits today.
- Fero made the first start of the season for the Seawolves and finished with two strikeouts, and allowed eight earned runs over 2.2 innings pitched.
- Brown-Eiring and Miceli went 1-for-3 at the plate, scoring a combined three runs.
- Junior Brendan Pattermann, sophomore JT Raab, and graduate Kyle Johnson each made relief appearances in the defeat.
- Sophomore Matt DeStefano captured an RBI base hit in his pitch-hit appearance in the sixth inning.
- Freshmen Matthew Wright, Johnny Pilla, Joseph Delanzo, and sophomore Anthony Gentile made their first appearances for Stony Brook.
- Eight different players had a knock and all nine of Stony Brooks starters reached base.
UP NEXT
Game two of this three-game set in Los Angeles is scheduled for 5 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow. Graduate Jared Bellissimo will make his first career start for Stony Brook, going up against Matador's Thomas Bainton.
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