STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook baseball team jumped out to a commanding six-run lead in the first inning, highlighted by back-to-back home runs from
Erik Paulsen and
Nico Azpilcueta. But William & Mary responded with eight unanswered runs, including four in the eighth inning, to come away with an 8-6 win on Friday afternoon at Joe Nathan Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Right-hander Eddie Smink made his team-leading 11th start and cruised through the top of the first with a 1-2-3 inning, ending it with a strikeout.
- The Seawolves came out swinging in the bottom of the first. After Nick Zampieron led off with a single, Paulsen and Azpilcueta went back-to-back with home runs to quickly make it 3-0. With two outs, Luke Szepek launched a solo shot of his own, and Evan Miceli followed with a two-run double to cap off the six-run inning.
- William & Mary got on the board in the second with a two-out RBI single after a leadoff double, but the Seawolves maintained a 6-1 lead. Smink worked another clean frame in the third, and Miceli picked up his second hit of the day in the bottom half, though he was caught stealing.
- The Tribe began to chip away with a solo homer to start the fourth, but Smink escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep the score at 6-2. Another solo shot in the fifth cut the lead to two, and Smink exited with two runners on. Jacob Pedersen came on in relief and allowed one run before inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.
- Pedersen continued in the sixth and again used a double play to work around a one-out single. Both teams went quietly in the seventh.
- In the eighth, William & Mary broke through with a four-run rally on four hits to take an 8-6 lead. The Seawolves were unable to mount a comeback, going down in order in the final two innings.
STATS AND NOTES
- Azpilcueta launched his CAA-leading 15th home run of the season and is now tied for third all-time in program history. He has reached base in all 39 games this season.
- Paulsen hit his sixth home run and extended his on-base streak to 10 games.
- Szepek went 2-for-4 with his seventh homer of the season, notching his 10th multi-hit game.
- Miceli tallied his second three-hit performance of the year, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI—his sixth multi-RBI game of the season.
- Smink allowed four runs over 4.1 innings and struck out four.
- Pedersen tossed 3.1 innings in relief, allowing four runs and falling to 2-3 on the year.
- Aidan Colagrande continued his strong stretch with 1.1 scoreless innings. He has not allowed a run over 5.0 innings this season.
- Stony Brook is now 9-9 at Joe Nathan Field and 8-8 in CAA play.
- The Seawolves are 2-5 all-time against William & Mary.
NEXT UP
Stony Brook will look to even the series tomorrow as they host William & Mary in game two of the weekend set. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on FloCollege.
