BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Junior
Evan Fox started the game by launching a ball over the left field fence and graduate student
Evan Giordano followed with a solo home run of his own in the first inning as the Seawolves (7-11,1-2 CAA) didn't look back and took home the 14-7 victory over Long Island rival Long Island University (2-17, 2-4 NEC). With the win, the Seawolves swept the season series from the Sharks and have won 7 of their last 9 games after starting the season 0-9.
Stony Brook used the two-run bottom of the first inning to set the tone. After the home runs by Fox and Giordano in the first inning, Stony Brook would go on to score seven of the next 10 runs in the game.
In the second inning, the Seawolves started their rally with three hits to begin the inning. Junior Ryan Micheli led the inning off with one his career-high three hits this afternoon, followed by a single by senior Brett Paulsen, and sophomore Anthony Gentile bringing in Micheli on a rocket to second base. Fox would reach on a fielder's choice, bringing home Paulsen and giving Stony Brook a 4-1 lead.
The Seawolves sent out graduate Kyle Johnson to make his third start of the year and fifth appearance of the season. Johnson struck out two batters and allowed three earned runs over his 1.2 innings on the bump.
Freshman Jerek Hobb relieved Johnson and produced his most commanding outing of his career. After allowing a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game, Hobb sat down 8 of the next 9 hitters that he faced, striking out a career-best six batters and not allowing a run.
The Seawolves offense exploded for four runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding 8-4 lead. The Seawolves sent all nine batters to the plate in the inning and began the inning by Micheli doubling and then Paulsen drawing a walk. Gentile knocked in Micheli on a sacrifice-fly and junior Derek Yallon drove Paulsen home with a single up the middle. Yalon would later score on a wild pitch and Giordano knocked in Fox on a fielder's choice to give Stony Brook the four run lead.
LIU would score two more runs in the bottom half of the seventh, but Stony Brook scored five more insurance runs in the eighth inning to take a 14-6 lead. Freshman Michael Anquillare led the inning off with his first career-hit and then after freshman Johnny Pilla walked, fellow freshman Joseph Delanzo notched his first career-hit and RBI by driving home Anquillare on a single. The newcomers for Stony Brook continued to make their presence felt as freshman Jason Campo doubled to right field, bringing in Pilla. The squad would score three morning in the inning to take the eight run advantage.
Sophomore JT Raab and junior Quinlan Montgomery finished the final 4.0 innings out of the pen for the squad. Raab completed his two innings allowing no earned runs and punching out four batters. Montgomery would also strike out four batters, which was a new season-best, and allowed one earned run over the final two innings to secure the 14-7 victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- Giordano slammed his fourth of the season, which is tied with Fox for the team-high, and it was 26th of his career which ties Brian Witkowski for 7th all-time in program history. Giordano is hitting .427 this season which is good for fourth in the conference. Also, the New Jersey native has recorded at least one hit and RBI in eight of the last 9 games.
- Micheli registered a career-best three hits this afternoon after going 3-for-3 at the plate. In his last two games, the catcher is 5-for-6 with two doubles, scored twice, and tabbed one RBI.
- Gentile recorded a career-best 3 RBI's as the second baseman went 1-for-3 at the plate. In his last six starts, Gentile has recorded a hit in five of those games and has reached base in all six games.
- Fox extended his on-base streak to 17 games to start the season after going 1-for-3 at the plate with 2 RBI and scored two runs. Also, Fox hit his fourth home run of the season and the ninth of his career. The leadoff hitter has a hit in 13 of his last 15 games.
- Anquillare and Delanzo both tallied their first career hits and RBIs this afternoon.
- Hobb earned his first career victory after going a career-high 3.1 innings out of the pen, allowing just one run and striking out a career-high six batters.
- Stony Brook moves to 2-0 this season against LIU and 3-2 all-time against the Sharks.
- The 16 punch outs by the Stony Brook pitching staff is a new season-high.
UP NEXT
The Seawolves open up a homestand this weekend, welcoming the University of North Carolina Wilmington for a three-game set starting Friday at 3 p.m., at Joe Nathan Field. Saturday's first pitch is slated for 1 p.m., while Sunday's start is scheduled for Noon. Stony Brook is 1-2 all-time against UNCW, with the squad falling in their last meeting on March 1, 2013 by a final of 3-2 in 10 innings.
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