STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook baseball team (19-22, 10-11 CAA) earned their first CAA weekend sweep of the season after defeating North Carolina A&T (17-23, 9-13 CAA) 6-1 this morning at Joe Nathan Field.
In a pitching duel that saw no runs until the sixth inning, it was the Seawolves that got on the scoreboard first and never looked back. In their turn at the plate, the squad erupted for four runs in the inning to take a 4-0 lead. Following an Aggie run in the seventh to cut the deficit to 4-1, Stony Brook gave themselves two more insurance runs in the seventh to secure the victory.
Following back-to-back complete game performances by graduate Ben Fero and senior Josh O'Neill in the doubleheader victory on Friday, Stony Brook sent out first-year student Eddie Smink to make his sixth start of the season.
For his third start in a row and fifth of his last sixth, the right-hander tossed at least 5.0 innings after tossing 6.0 innings this morning. The first-year student surrendered one run (earned), one walk, and struck out two batters to earn his second career victory.
The defense for Stony Brook was helping out the right-hander early by making plays all over the field. To begin the game, first-year student Matthew Wright saved extra-bases by securing a diving catch down the right field line. In the next inning, Smink would toss a 1-2-3 inning and get his double-play ball in the next frame to keep the Aggies off the scoreboard.
In the sixth inning, the Aggies started to put the pressure on Smink by getting two runners on base with one out in the inning. But, senior Brett Paulsen caught a line-drive down the first base line and stepped on the base to secure the double-play and bring themselves in to hit.
Using the momentum from Paulsen, the squad came to the plate and dropped four runs on the Aggies in the sixth. Leading the rally was graduate Evan Giordano and junior Matt Brown-Eiring reaching on hits. With two-outs, Paulsen came to the plate and drove in both runners by doubling to center field to give Stony Brook the 2-0 advantage.
The Seawolves were not done there. Sophomore Matt Maceli and junior Ryan Micheli also came up clutch with two-out knocks by driving in a run each to take the 4-0 lead in the sixth inning.
North Carolina A&T responded with a run of their own seventh, but Stony Brook answered with another two insurance runs after the seventh inning stretch to go ahead 6-1. Junior Evan Fox scored on a wild pitch and senior Derek Yalon drove in Brown-Eiring.
Graduate Nick DeGennaro came into the game to get all three outs in the seventh inning after the Aggies tallied a run and secured the final six outs of the game to hold on to the Seawolves victory. Over his 3.0 innings out of the pen, the right-hander did not allow a hit or a run and struck out four batters.
STATS AND NOTES
- Brett Paulsen went 2 for 4 in all three games of the series. He wrapped up 6 for 12 overall with three doubles, 4 RBI and 3 R scored. Paulsen had four multi-hit games in four games this week and finished 9 for 18 with 5 RBI and 5 R scored. He also had an unassisted double play at first on a lineout to end the sixth.
- Derek Yalon went 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the 7th. Yalon has reached in 8 straight games.
- Evan Fox stole his 31st base of the season, matching his career-best 31 steals from last year. He needs six more steals to break Travis Jankowski's single season record of 36 stolen bases set in 2012.
- Matt Brown-Eiring finished 1-4 with two runs scored. He finished the month of April hitting .353 with 5 HR and 15 RBI.
- Matt Miceli finished the weekend with 5 for 10 with a double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.
- DeGennaro earned his second career save out of the bullpen. The veteran's other save came as a true freshman against Wagner on May 11th, 2019.
- DeGenarro faced just two over the minimum in his outing. He has allowed just 3 earned runs over his last four conference relief appearances (9.2 IP).
- Eddie Smink delivered his second quality start in conference play going 6 innings only allowing one run.
- Stony Brook has won five of its last six CAA games. The Seawolves are now tied for 6th place with Delaware at 10-11. The two squads will face each other next weekend in Newark, Del. with a playoff positioning on the line.
UP NEXT
The Seawolves return to the diamond on May 2, to take on Fairfield at 3:00 p.m., at Joe Nathan Field. Stony Brook will look to continue their success against the Stags as they are 11-7 all-time against Fairfield.
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