BRONX, N.Y. - The Stony Brook baseball team blasted five home runs this afternoon against Fordham University, their most since 2021, on their way to a dominant 14-2 victory in the Bronx.
John Rizzo got the ball for Stony Brook, and the right-hander allowed just one earned run through five innings while striking out four batters. Offensively,
Luke Szepek became the first Seawolf since 2022 to have a multi-homer game as he went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk.
Evan Goforth,
Scott Gell, and
Chanz Doughty also homered in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Rizzo retired the first six Fordham hitters of the game. After both teams were held scoreless through two innings, Goforth started the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the third to give Stony Brook a 1-0 lead.
- After Rizzo stranded a runner in the third inning, Stony Brook scored three runs in the fourth to go up 4-0. Doughty started the rally with a solo home run, and Szepek followed with a two-run homer, bringing home Chris Carson to extend the lead.
- Fordham cut the deficit to 4-1 in the fourth inning, but Rizzo stranded a runner on third to end the fifth and cap his afternoon.
- Jacob Pedersen entered the game for Stony Brook in the sixth and tossed a perfect 1-2-3 inning.
- In the top of the seventh, Erik Paulsen started a two-out rally with a single. After stealing second, he scored on a Johnny Pilla double down the right-field line. Nico Azpilcueta followed with an RBI single to give Stony Brook a 6-1 lead.
- Following a scoreless seventh thrown by Pedersen, the Seawolves exploded for four runs in the eighth to take a 10-1 advantage. Doughty started the inning with a single and scored on a Carson triple. Szepek launched his second homer of the game, and Nicholas Solorzano added an RBI sac-fly to complete the rally.
- Ty Panariello held the Rams scoreless in the eighth, and Stony Brook stamped the game with four more runs in the ninth to take a 14-1 lead. Gell launched a two-run home run, James Schaffer drew a bases-loaded walk, and Nick Zampieron plated Mike Villani with an RBI single. The Rams added a run in the ninth, but Paulsen closed the door to secure the Seawolves' victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- Stony Brook hit five home runs in the victory, their most since recording five against UMBC on May 15, 2021.
- The 14 runs marked a new season-high and their most since scoring 16 against Manhattan on March 23, 2024.
- The Seawolves were hit by a season-high four pitches, with Paulsen being hit three times.
- Gell tallied his first career home run and first hit of the season.
- Szepek became the first Seawolf since Evan Giordano (May 20, 2022, vs. NJIT) to record a multi-homer game. He also notched his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game at Stony Brook with three hits and three RBIs.
- Rizzo earned his first victory as a Seawolf, going a career-best five innings, allowing one run, and striking out a career-high four batters.
- Doughty had a season-high three hits and launched his second home run of the season.
- Goforth extended his hitting streak to eight games with his second home run of the season.
- Zampieron and Villani recorded their first career hits.
- Carson and Pilla both recorded RBI extra-base hits.
- Pedersen lowered his ERA to 1.93 after tossing two scoreless innings of relief.
- Stony Brook improved to 20-5 all-time against Fordham, including 3-0 in their last three meetings.
NEXT UP
The Stony Brook baseball team returns to Joe Nathan Field this weekend for their home opener as they host Niagara for a three-game series. Game one of the series on Friday is set for 2:00 p.m.
