TROY, Ala. – The Stony Brook baseball team began their first of a three-game set in Troy, Alabama, today, February 24, with a 9-4 defeat to the Trojans.
The Seawolves (0-4, 0-0 CAA) were in control for most of the ballgame, taking a 4-2 lead into the bottom half of the eighth, but the Trojans (5-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) would score seven runs in the eighth inning to ultimately take the late victory.
After surrendering seven earned runs over two innings in his first start of the season, graduate student Jared Bellissimo found his rhythm in the Seawolves uniform by allowing just two earned runs, four hits, and punched out two batters over his four innings on the bump.
Junior Evan Fox got the two-out rally going for Stony Brook in the third inning by leading off with a base knock to center field. Fox wasted no time stealing second base and then advanced to third base after an error on the throw from the catcher. Graduate Evan Giordano brought the junior home after singling to right center, collecting his first RBI of the season, and giving Stony Brook the 1-0 advantage.
The Trojans would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth but Stony Brook responded right away with three runs to give themselves a 4-1 lead. The bottom of the order started this rally for Stony Brook with sophomore Anthony Gentile leading the inning off by reaching on an error. In the next two at-bats, sophomore duo Chris Leone and Matt Miceli knocked back-to-back doubles, bringing home Gentile. Then, Giordano continued his scorching day by bringing in Miceli and Leone on a single to left field.
Bellissimo would exit the game after a Trojan homerun in the fifth inning, making it a 4-2 game. The Seawolves would bring in Josh O'Neill and after a fielding error by the squad, O'Neill would strike out four batters and force two double-plays over the next three innings.
Troy tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after a two-run homerun. Brandon Lashley relieved O'Neill but the Trojans tacked on four more runs off the senior in the inning, ultimately taking the 9-4 victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- Evan Giordano went 2-for-4 at the plate. It marked his second multi-hit game of the season. Giordano now has 39 multi-hit games in his career. Also, Giordano recorded three RBI, which were his first of the season.
- Derek Yalon went 2-for-4 at the plate. His first multi-hit game of the season. Yalon now has nine multi-hit games in his career.
- The Seawolves had three extra base hits, with Yalon, Leone, and Miceli all hitting doubles.
- This was the second appearance of the season for O'Neill and Lashley.
- This was the first meeting ever between these two programs.
UP NEXT
Game two of this three-game set in Alabama is scheduled for tomorrow 4 p.m. Graduate Nick DeGennaro will make his second start of the season for Stony Brook, facing Zach Fruit.
