HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The seventh-seeded Stony Brook softball team earned their second-straight victory tonight at Bill Edwards Stadium to avoid elimination after defeating the defending CAA Champions and second-seeded UNCW, 11-9.
The Seawolves showed their resilience by tallying nine runs over the final three innings to erase a five-run deficit and secure the victory.
Stony Brook wasted no time by getting on the board in the first inning. Leading the two-run inning was Alyssa Costello. The sophomore launched her eighth home run of the season to give the Seawolves an early 1-0 lead. Following the home run by Costello, Ashley Jacobson and Corinne Badger both reached on free-passes to give the squad two runners on with two outs. Finishing the rally with the RBI knock was Naiah Ackerman to give the Seawolves a 2-0 advantage.
The Seawolves sent out junior Mia Haynes to make her third start of the week and her 27th start of the season. The right-hander earned her 18th win of the season after tossing her 17th complete game of the season. Haynes allowed nine runs (three earned) and struck out six batters in her 136 pitches in the circle. For the Tournament, she now has three complete games and leads all pitchers with 26.1 innings tossed.
After retiring six of the first seven batters that she faced, the Seahawks made the most of the mistakes by the Seawolves defense in the third inning by scoring five unearned runs to take the 5-2 lead.
Following another two runs in the fourth to go up 7-2, it was the Seawolves who capitalized on the Seahawks mistakes in the fifth as the squad scored four runs of their own to cut the deficit to one.
Beginning the rally was Sofia Chambers leading the inning off with a triple and came home on the next pitch after Alicia Orosco knocked her in by hitting a single through the left side. The Seawolves would record their first out of the inning on a fielder's choice, but after Jacobson loaded the bases on a knock, the squad would score three runs on two hit-by-pitches and a walk. Badger and Sanzone both wore pitches to tally an RBI. Brooke Dye finished the inning off by drawing the walk to cut the lead to 7-6
The Seawhawks would score a run in their half of the fifth, but again Stony Brook had the answer.
This time, it was Catherine Anne Kupinski sending her seventh home run of the season to drive in Costello and tie the game at 8-8.
However, in the back-and-forth affair, the Seahawks would retake the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a single up the middle.
With all the pressure on the Seawolves to keep their season alive and their hopes of the first-ever CAA Championship in program history, the squad continued to be resilient and notched three runs in the frame to take the 11-9 lead. The Seawolves sent eight batters to the plate in the inning, as Sanzone and Dye led the inning off with back-to-back walks. Following the sacrifice bunt by Chambers, Orsoco did her job by bringing in Sanzone on a ground-ball to the pitcher that tied the game at 9-9.
Recording her fourth hit of the afternoon and ultimately the game-winning knock was Costello rocketing a single to second base that allowed Dye to score. Kupinski gave the squad two more insurance runs by sending a double to right center that allowed Costello to come in and Stony Brook to go up 11-9.
Haynes struck out the final three batters she faced in the seventh inning to secure the two-run victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- After going 4-for-4 with four runs scored, two RBI, a home run, and walk, Costello extended her hitting-streak to 22 games which is the longest on the team this season. Her four-hit performance is the second-most in tournament history and the most in a tournament game since 2016. Also, it was the first time this season that she tallied four hits and only second time of her career (5 against Fairfield on March 26, 2022). The four runs she scored tied Lisa Wambold of Hofstra (4 vs UNCW on May 11, 2006) with the most-ever in a CAA Tournament game. She is one hit away from tying Morgan Tolle (JMU '18), Erica Field (JMU '15), and Wambold (Hofstra '06) for the most hits throughout a CAA Tournament with nine. Costello is now leading the team with her .415 average.
- Haynes continued to dominate in the circle as she tossed her third complete game of the week to earn her third victory. She is one win away from tying Kayleigh Lotti (Hofstra '08) for the most wins over a CAA Tournament and one complete game away from tying four others with the most complete games over a CAA Tournament. Her 26.1 innings in the circle lead all pitchers in the Tournament. Haynes allowed nine hits and was charged with three earned runs while striking out six on 136 pitches.
- Kupinski produced her fourth game this season with at-least three RBI. The right fielder went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, a home run, and double. She now has nine multi-hit games this season.
- Orosco went 1-for-5 this afternoon with two RBI. It was her fifth game this season with multiple RBI.
- Badger, Sanzone, and Dye all produced an RBI and scored a run.
- Ackerman finished her evening with an RBI and a knock.
- Stony Brook is now 3-2 all-time against UNCW.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
NEXT UP
The Stony Brook softball team will continue to battle in the elimination bracket tomorrow at Bill Edwards Stadium as they face the top-seeded Delaware Blue Hens tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
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