STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook baseball team (20-27, 11-14 CAA) snapped their five-game losing streak this afternoon by defeating Monmouth University (15-26, 5-18) at Joe Nathan Field, 12-4.
The Seawolves jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning and tacked on another three runs over the fourth and fifth inning to take the 6-0 advantage.
This was all the support that graduate right-hander
Ben Fero needed as he tossed eight innings on the bump, allowing just three runs and struck out three batters in victory. The right-hander has finished at least 7.0 innings in three of his last four starts, including his complete game victory over North Carolina A&T on April 28th to earn him CAA Pitcher of the Week honors.
After Fero retired the Hawks in order in the first inning and second inning, the Seawolves came storming in the next frame by leading the inning off with three straight student-athletes reaching base.
Derek Yalon began the frame with a walk, followed by a hit from
Brett Paulsen, and a hit-by-pitch from
Matt Miceli to load the bases.
Ryan Micheli came to the plate and gave the squad the two-run advantage by launching a single to right field that brought in Yalon and Paulsen. The Seawolves would tack on another run on a bunt from Matthew Wight that allowed themselves to take the 3-0 advantage.
The right-hander continued to dominate the Hawks by sitting down the next three batters in the third inning to remain perfect through three innings. With two down in the fourth, Monmouth would get their first two-runners on base, but Fero kept his composure to retire the final batter of the inning to hold the 3-0 lead.
Following an RBI base-knock by
Evan Fox in the fourth inning, Paulsen tallied his second of four hits this afternoon to bring in
Matt Brown-Eiring and Paradine in the fifth to take the 6-0 lead.
The Hawks would score their first run of the game in the seventh, but Stony Brook put the game away in the eighth inning by erupting for six runs in the frame to go up 12-1.
Stony Brook made the most of a Monmouth error, followed by a hit-by-pitch drawn by Miceli and another error by Hawks to go up 7-1. A few batters later, the Seawolves captured back-to-back-to-back RBI knocks from Brown-Eiring, Yalon, and Paulsen to take the 12-1 advantage. Brown-Eiring and Yalon both notched singles, while Paulsen brought home both of them by doubling to left field.
Senior
Brandon Lashley finished the final inning for the Seawolves out of the pen by allowing one run (earned) and struck out a batter to secure the 5-4 victory
STATS AND NOTES
- Paulsen continues to mash at the plate and boosted his average to .320 this season after going 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. The four RBI by Paulsen marked a new career-best and now has a hit in 9 of his last 10 games, including multiple hits in six of those games.
- Micheli matched his career-best with two RBI this afternoon after tallying a 2-for-3 performance at the dish with two RBI, a run scored, and stolen-base. It was his seventh multi-hit game of the season and fourth multi-RBI game of the year.
- Paradine now has three multi-hit games in his last seven by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. His two doubles this afternoon tied a season-high (2 against Troy on Feb. 25).
- Yalon went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, and walk. Yalon now has a hit in four of his last five games and is raised his average to .287 this season.
- Fero earned his fifth victory of the season and 14th of his career. In his last four starts, the right-hander is 3-1 and averaging 7.1 innings per start. He leads the team with 71.1 innings pitched this season and 12 starts on the year.
- Stony Brook is now 3-1 all-time against Monmouth.
- It was the most runs the squad has scored since they scored 13 on April 18 at Manhattan.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series is set for Saturday, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Senior
Josh O'Neill is set to get the ball for Stony Brook for his last outing at Joe Nathan Field.
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