STONY BROOK, N.Y. – For the first time since the 2012 Super Regional at LSU, two Stony Brook starting pitchers hurled back-to-back nine inning complete game performances.
Graduate Ben Fero and senior Josh O'Neill both went the distance to lead the Seawolves to a CAA doubleheader sweep over the Aggies of North Carolina A&T this afternoon at Joe Nathan Field.
The Seawolves sent out Fero in game one to make his team-high seventh conference start of the season. The right-hander tossed his first career complete game as he struck out a season-high nine batters and allowed just three hits in a 5-1 victory over the Aggies.
After allowing an early run in the second inning, the Seawolves jumped all over the North Carolina A&T pitching staff over the next four frames by tallying at least one run in each inning. Beginning the offensive charge was senior Derek Yalon reaching on a single in the fourth and sophomore Matt Miceli driving him in on a double down the line to tie the game at 1-1.
Following Fero stranding a runner at third on a strikeout, the Stony Brook bats came back to take the lead in the fifth inning as graduate Evan Giordano knocked in junior Evan Fox, giving the Seawolves a 2-1 advantage. In the next inning, Miceli notched an RBI single and senior Brett Paulsen scored on a wild-pitch to give Fero a 4-1 lead.
The Seawolves starter continued to dominate in the seventh inning by striking out two of the three batters that he faced in the inning. Junior Matt Brown-Eiring came to the plate in the seventh and slammed his seventh home run of the year to left field giving Stony Brook a 5-1 lead and ultimately the victory. Fero retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced to secure the win.
In game two, O'Neill picked up right where Fero left off. The right-hander hurled his first career complete game as he allowed three runs (earned), five hits, and struck out six batters.
Similarly to the first game, the Seawolves fell down 1-0 after the Aggies tacked on a run in the second inning. But, O'Neill settled in and retired the next six batters that he faced to allow the bats for Stony Brook to wake up. After senior Shane Paradine and junior Derek Yalon reached on hits, senior Brett Paulsen drove in the duo by launching a ball down the right field line, giving Stony Brook the 2-1 advantage.
The Aggies didn't go away without a fight. North Carolina A&T answered with two runs in the sixth inning to take the 3-2 lead.
But, the Seawolves responded after the seventh inning stretch by registering three runs in the inning. Paulsen, Miceli, and Leone all reached to load the bases. After Leone scored on a wild-pitch to tie the game, Fox came up as the hero again by tallying the go-ahead hit that drove in Miceli and Paulsen to allow Stony Brook to take the 5-3 lead.
O'Neill was nearly perfect in his final 3.2 innings of work, as the right-hander sat down 11 straight batters to secure the complete game victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- The last time two Stony Brook pitchers tossed two complete games in a row was at the 2012 Baton Rouge Super Regional during the club's historic run to the College World Series. Senior Tyler Johnson outdueled MLB 1st round pick Kevin Gausman, throwing 9 innings (127 pitches), allowing 1 run on just three hits in Game 2 of the Super on June 9, 2012 (Stony Brook won, 3-1). In the decisive game 3 on June 10, 2012, freshman Frankie Vanderka pitched the Seawolves to Omaha going 9 innings (128 pitches), holding LSU to 2 runs on 3 hits in a 7-2 series clinching victory.
- The last time Stony Brook had two different pitchers throw a complete game in a season was 2021. Senior Jared Milch earned a complete-game victory vs. Albany in the America East tournament on May 28, 2021 and then junior Nick DeGennaro tossed a complete game vs. UMBC on April 18, 2021.
- Matt Brown Eiring slammed his 7th home run of the season in game one. He is hitting .360 in the month of April with 5 HR and 15 RBI.
- Fero's complete game was the first in his career. His previous longest outing was 8.1 IP against New Jersey Tech on May 19, 2022 - a game in which he struck out a career-best 11 batters.
- O'Neill's complete game was also the first of his career. He topped his previous longest outing of 7.1 innings vs. William and Mary on April 9th.
- Fero retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. Only one batter out of the final 13 Fero faced was able to hit a ball out of the infield. He didn't allow a run over the final six innings of play.
- Stony Brook held North Carolina A&T to .135 team batting average across the doubleheader (8 hits in 59 AB's). Fero and O'Neill combined for 14 K's in their two complete games.
- Evan Giordano has reached base in 9 straight.
- Brett Paulsen delivered back to back 2 for 4 performances at the plate. He has boosted his average to .305 which is 3rd best on the team. He is on a streak of three consecutive multi-hit games this week and now has 13 multi-hit games on the season.
- Evan Fox stole his 30th base of the season in game one. He joins Travis Jankowski as the only players in Stony Brook history to have multiple seasons with 30+ stolen bases. Fox needs seven more to pass Jankowski's single season record of 36 stolen bases set during Stony Brook's 2012 College World Series season.
UP NEXT
First pitch of the final game of the series is TBD due to incoming weather.
