HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - The Stony Brook baseball team launched a season-high three home runs and graduate
Ben Fero tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs to lead the Seawolves to the 8-6 victory over Hofstra University at University Field this afternoon.
The Seawolves (10-13, 3-4 CAA) wasted no time jumping onto the scoreboard as graduate Evan Giordano launched his team-best sixth home run of the season and 28th of his career to give them an early 1-0 lead. With this home run, Giordano moved into sixth all-time on the Stony Brook home run record book as he tied former Seawolf Michael Stephan.
After the Pride (8-16, 3-7 CAA) responded with a run of their own in the first inning, the Seawolves answered back with back-to-back runs in the third and fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead. In the third inning, Junior Ryan Micheli blasted his third home run of his career to give the squad the lead. Then in the next top inning, first-year student Johnny Pilla knocked in junior Matt Brown-Eiring on a screamer up the middle.
Following the runs in back-to-back innings for Stony Brook, junior Matt Miceli showed off the leather by making a web-gem play to end the fourth. In the next inning, Fero stranded runners on second and third base by striking out the final batter of the inning.
Both offenses would find their rhythm in the final four innings by combining for nine runs. Senior Shane Paradine got the offense going in the sixth by launching his third home run of the season. After Hofstra scored a run of their own in the sixth, the Seawolves tallied three two-out runs in the top half of the seventh.
Pacing the offense in the inning was Fox starting the rally by reaching on a single and then advancing to second base on his CAA-leading 19th stolen-base of the season. Micheli and Giordano would reach by walks, giving the squad the bases-loaded with two outs. Paradine sent a 2-0 fastball to right-center, clearing the bases for Stony Brook and giving themselves a 7-3 lead.
Senior Josh O'Neill earned the save and finished the final 3.0 innings by allowing three earned runs, three hits, and striking out three batters to secure the 8-6 victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- Fero completed at least 5.0 innings for his fourth straight start as the right-hander went 6.0 innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, and struck out five batters. He earned his second win of the season and 11th of his career.
- Paradine tied a career-high with four RBI this afternoon as he went 3-for-5 at the plate with a home run, and double. Paradine also had four RBI against Albany on March 28, 2021. It was the second time this season that the senior had multiple extra base-hits (two doubles against Troy on Feb. 25, 2023).
- Giordano boosted his average to a team-high .379 after going 2-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and a home run.
- Fox, Brown-Eiring, Miceli, and senior Brett Paulsen all recorded a hit.
- O'Neill tallied his first save of the season and fourth of his career.
- Stony Brook has won back-to-back meetings against Hofstra (defeated the Pride on May 4, 2022) and moved to 15-9 all-time against the Pride.
- Three home runs by Stony Brook is a new season-high.
UP NEXT
Game two of this three-game set in Hempstead is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Graduate Jared Bellissimo will make his seventh start of the season for Stony Brook.
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