BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –The Stony Brook softball team powered past IU Indy with a 9-5 victory this afternoon in North Carolina, highlighted by a home run from
Alyssa Costello and a five-run explosion in the bottom of the fifth inning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- IU Indy jumped ahead early, scoring two runs in the top of the first on an RBI single and an RBI double to take a 2-0 lead.
- After Stony Brook went down in order in the bottom of the first and IU Indy followed suit in the top of the second, the Seawolves got on the scoreboard in their half of the inning. Alyssa Costello led off with a single, followed by Madelyn Stepski reaching on an error. Kaiya Simpkins then advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, putting two in scoring position. Emily Reinstein cut the deficit to 2-1 with a sacrifice bunt that brought home Costello.
- The Jaguars extended their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third with an RBI single.
- Stony Brook responded in the bottom half of the inning. Kyra McFarland led off with a single, and Mia Vannelli later walked, putting two runners on. Costello then delivered her third home run of the season—an inside-the-park homer—to give the Seawolves a 4-3 lead.
- Both teams stranded a runner in the fourth inning before IU Indy tied the game in the fifth with an RBI triple to right-center.
- Stony Brook took control in the bottom of the fifth, exploding for five runs to take a commanding 9-4 lead. With two outs and two runners on, Malorie Hill reached on an error, allowing Vannelli to score and put Stony Brook back in front. Naiah Ackerman followed with a three-run double to left-center, extending the lead to 8-4. McFarland capped off the inning with an RBI triple, giving the Seawolves a 9-4 advantage.
- Gabrielle Maday entered the game to pitch the sixth and stranded two IU Indy runners to preserve the five-run lead.
- The Jaguars added a run in the top of the seventh to make it 9-5, but Maday shut the door with a pop-up to first base, sealing the victory for Stony Brook.
STATS AND NOTES
- Costello is now tied for third in the CAA with her third home run of the season. She tallied her first three-hit game of the year, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored, a double, and a home run. She also extended her hitting streak to five games.
- McFarland has recorded multiple hits in five consecutive games and leads the team with a .476 batting average. She went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk while recording a season-high seven assists in the field.
- Ackerman notched her fourth career three-RBI game and first of the season, finishing 1-for-3 with a triple.
- Stepski has multiple hits in two of her last three games after going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
- Rice earned her first win of the season, allowing three earned runs while striking out one batter over 5.0 innings.
- Maday closed out the final two innings, allowing no runs and just one hit to secure the victory.
- Stony Brook improved to 2-0 all-time against IU Indy.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"This was a well-earned team win to finish the weekend strong. We played with poise, executed well offensively and played solid defense to back up our pitchers," head coach
Megan T. Bryant said. "We had great synergy and that is important to our growth as a young team."
UP NEXT
The Seawolves return to action next weekend as they head to Baltimore for their CAA opening series against Towson. Game one of the three-game set is scheduled for Friday, with first pitch on FloSoftball at 2:00 p.m.
