HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Stony Brook softball team's magical CAA Tournament run has come to an end after narrowly falling to Hofstra, 9-8, on Friday night. The Seawolves rattled off four wins in the tournament, which included eliminating No. 1 Delaware, No. 2 UNCW, No. 4 Elon, and No. 6 Charleston.
 
Stony Brook played two games in the elimination bracket on Friday. The Seawolves' day began at 2:30 p.m., as they went head-to-head with the top seeded Delaware Blue Hens. The Seawolves used a standout performance in the circle from junior pitcher Mia Haynes en route to a thrilling 1-0 win to advance in the bracket.
 

The Mia Haynes Game 🙌

Down goes No. 1 Delaware! We advance to play Hofstra in another elimination game in 40 minutes!

🌊🐺 x #NCAASoftball x #CAAChamps pic.twitter.com/Mir32Xqq5x

— Stony Brook Softball (@StonyBrookSB) May 12, 2023

 
Haynes, who was pitching in her fifth game in four days, took the ball and went the distance. She tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout to earn her fourth win of the tournament and 19^th of the season. Haynes set a pair of CAA Tournament records in the Seawolves inaugural appearance. She pitched a tournament record 36.1 innings and made a tournament-high six appearances over the four days.
 
Stony Brook's lone run in the game against Delaware came in the first inning when freshman infielder Naiah Ackerman hit into fielder's choice, which brought home junior utility Catherine Anne Kupinski.
 
The win over the Blue Hens allowed the Seawolves to take on Long Island foe Hofstra for the second time in the tournament – with a berth in the Championship game on the line. The Pride pulled out a narrow, 9-8, win in a game that saw Stony Brook fight back from as many as four runs down.
 
Hofstra and Stony Brook combined for a tournament record 25 hits, breaking the mark set by Georgia State and James Madison in 2012. Sophomore outfielder Alyssa Costello paced the Stony Brook lineup, going 3-5 with one RBI in the game. Costello set the CAA Tournament record for hits, totaling 12 over six games this week. The sophomore outfielder hit .571 (12-21) for the tournament, matching the tournament record with eight runs scored while adding four RBI.
 

Save that ball! Alyssa has set a new @CAASports Tournament record for hits with 🔟 and counting!

🌊🐺 x #NCAASoftball x #CAAChamps pic.twitter.com/nkMeg9LMwV

— Stony Brook Softball (@StonyBrookSB) May 12, 2023

 
CAA TOURNAMENT GAME 10: STONY BROOK – 1, DELAWARE – 0

• Stony Brook gave Haynes a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kupinski scored on an Ackerman fielder's choice. The one run would be all Haynes needed as she went the distance for 18^th time this season and it was her sixth shutout. She went 7.0 innings and surrendered just three hits, while striking out a pair.
• Stony Brook scattered four hits in the game. Alicia Orosco, Costello, Julianna Sanzone, and Brooke Dye all registered singles.
• It was the Seawolves' first-ever win over Delaware.

CAA TOURNAMENT GAME 11: STONY BROOK – 8, HOFSTRA – 9

• After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, Stony Brook cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the second. Dye started the two-out rally with a single before a double from Sofia Chambers put runners on second and third. Orosco followed with a double, scoring Dye and Chambers. Costello kept the line moving by beating out an infield single that drove in Orosco.
• Hofstra plated a run to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the second inning. The Seawolves continued to fight as they tied the game in the top of the third inning as Sanzone and Chambers came up with two-out singles to drive in a run apiece.
• The Pride responded immediately by tacking on three runs in the bottom of the third to make it 8-5. Hofstra would go on to add a run in the bottom of the sixth to grow its lead to 9-5.
• Kupinski and the Seawolves weren't done in the top of the seventh as she launched a two-out three-run home run to left to get Stony Brook within one, 9-8. The very next batter, Ashley Jacobson, lined out to end the game for the Seawolves.
• Costello extended her hitting streak to 24 consecutive games by going 3-5. 

QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"What a great run our team had in our first CAA Championship. We fought hard to get into this tourney and continued to battle here all week long. You want to be playing your best ball at the most important time, and we did just that. We have so much to be proud of and so much to look forward to," said head coach Megan T. Bryant.
 
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