HEMPSTEAD, NY – The Stony Brook softball team responded from down 2-0 in the sixth inning to win in comeback fashion, tallying three runs with two outs in the seventh inning to secure a 3-2 victory over Hofstra in the series opener on Friday at Bill Edwards Stadium.
Catherine Anne Kupinski plated the game-tying run and Corinne Badger drove home what proved to be the winning run with an opposite-field single.
Ashton Melaas picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Stony Brook after throwing 1.1 shutout innings without giving up a hit. Mia Haynes started the contest, giving up two runs, both earned, on four hits, with four walks and six strikeouts over five-plus innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Kyra McFarland notched Stony Brook's first hit of the contest, singling through the middle with one out in the first. She moved into scoring position after Kupinski worked a walk, but both runners were stranded to end the opening frame.
- Haynes ran into trouble in the home half of the first, loading the bases without recording an out. Hofstra scored once on a fielder's choice, but Haynes managed to leave three runners on base by recording a pair of strikeouts, escaping with just one run coming across.
- Emily Reinstein reached safely on a single in the second, but Stony Brook remained scoreless after two innings.
- After a quiet third inning, the Seawolves put a pair of runners on in the fourth but once again came up empty.
- Alyssa Costello led off the fifth with a base on balls, but was stranded in scoring position after stealing second.
- A pair of one-out singles in the sixth created a chance for Stony Brook to get on the board, but Hofstra induced a double play to neutralize the threat.
- Haynes hit a batter and allowed a pair of singles, recording two outs and allowing a run before exiting the contest in the sixth. Melaas entered in relief, stranding the two runners she inherited to keep Stony Brook's deficit at two runs.
- Stony Brook broke through offensively in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Kupinski that tied the game. Badger's go-ahead single followed, scoring Kupinski with the go-ahead run.
- The rally began with a Costello single with one out. Alicia Orosco reached on an error, then the two runners moved into scoring position after a McFarland sacrifice bunt. Costello, Orosco and eventually Kupinski would all score due to timely hitting by the Seawolves.
- Melaas retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh, needing just eight pitches to close the door and secure the series-opening win for Stony Brook.
STATS AND NOTES
- The victory was Stony Brook's ninth straight and the seventh straight against a conference foe.
- Stony Brook's nine-game winning streak is tied for the sixth longest active streak in all of Division I.
- The Seawolves have now outscored the opposition 50-10 over the course of its current nine-game winning streak.
- Stony Brook improved to 13-2 on the road this season. The Seawolves' 13 road wins this season are tied for the third most (Missouri, Youngstown State) in the NCAA, trailing only Boston University (14) and Oklahoma State (15).
- Kyra McFarland extended her hit streak to 11 straight games with a first-inning single.
- Melaas picked up her fifth win of the season, recording the final four outs of the contest without allowing a hit.
- Seven Seawolves recorded a hit in the win.
- Stony Brook pitchers limited Hofstra to a 1-for-7 (.143) mark with runners in scoring position.
- The victory snapped a five-game losing streak to Hofstra. It marked Stony Brook's first win in Hempstead since March 22, 2022.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"What a tough ballgame and gritty win by our team. As long as we have outs left, we have a chance," head coach
Megan T. Bryant said. "Our execution in the seventh inning was outstanding. CA and Corinne came up big for us and Ashton shut the door."
UP NEXT
Stony Brook and Hofstra play game two of the series tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Nassau County.
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