Box Score STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Stony Brook left-hander
Nicholas Rizzo allowed three runs over 7.2 innings and home runs by
Matthew Jackson and
Nico Azpilcueta powered the Seawolves to an 8-5 win over Monmouth this afternoon at Joe Nathan Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Sophomore Nicholas Rizzo made the start for Stony Brook and worked a 1-2-3 opening inning, recording two flyouts to end the frame.
- James Schaffer led off the bottom half with a single, followed by a base hit from Erik Paulsen. A flyout by Azpilcueta moved Paulsen to third, and after an infield pop-up, Scott Gell delivered a two-out RBI single to give the Seawolves a 1-0 lead.
- Rizzo returned with another 1-2-3 frame in the second, and both sides went down in order to keep the game at 1-0 through two.
- The lefty kept rolling in the third, striking out the final two batters of the inning. Paulsen registered a one-out double in the bottom of the inning but was stranded in scoring position.
- Monmouth recorded its first baserunner in the fourth on a leadoff single. After another base hit later in the inning, Rizzo induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
- The Seawolves were retired in order in the bottom half.
- Rizzo worked around another leadoff single in the fifth by getting a strikeout-throwout double play from catcher Scott Gell and Schaffer, then a groundout to second to preserve the 1-0 lead.
- Chris Carson opened the bottom of the inning with a bunt single, and Matt Miceli followed with a hit to put two on with no outs. Schaffer then reached on a throwing error by the Monmouth pitcher on a bunt, allowing Carson to score and extend the lead to 2-0.
- Rizzo continued to dominate with another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. In the bottom half, Jackson launched a solo shot over the right-field fence—his fifth homer of the season—to make it 3-0.
- Monmouth doubled with two outs in the seventh, but Rizzo fielded a bunt to get the final out of the frame.
- Stony Brook erupted for three runs in the seventh. Carson walked to lead off the inning, and after hits by Miceli and Schaffer, Paulsen reached on an error to bring home a run. Azpilcueta followed by launching his 20th homer of the season, a two-run shot, to push the lead to 6-0.
- Monmouth responded with five runs in the top of the eighth on five hits and an error to trim the deficit to 6-5.
- Gell led off the bottom of the frame with a single. Cam Santerre dropped down a sac bunt, and Johnny Pilla followed with a bunt single to put runners on the corners. After a Miceli walk loaded the bases, Schaffer ripped a two-run single to left to restore a three-run lead at 8-5.
- Vincent Mariella entered in the ninth and fired a perfect inning to lock down the series win.
STATS AND NOTES
- Schaffer posted his third straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. He is now batting .407 on the season.
- Paulsen tallied his team-leading 22nd multi-hit game of the season, also his third in a row, going 2-for-5 with a double and a run.
- Gell recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the year, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI.
- Carson scored three runs for the second straight game and added a hit.
- Azpilcueta belted his CAA-leading 20th home run, driving in two. He now has 61 RBIs this season, ranking third in program history for a single campaign.
- Jackson hit his fifth homer of the season.
- Pilla and Miceli each recorded a hit.
- Rizzo went a season-high 7.2 innings, allowing just three hits, no walks, and three runs while striking out four. He sat down the first nine batters he faced.
- Mariella earned his first save of the year with a 1-2-3 ninth.
- Stony Brook's leadoff hitters went 5-for-8 (.625).
- With the win, the Seawolves secured the series over Monmouth and improved to 8-3 all-time against the Hawks.
NEXT UP
Stony Brook returns to Joe Nathan Field tomorrow for its final home game of the season as it hosts Monmouth. First pitch for Senior Day is set for 1:00 p.m. and will be streamed live on FloCollege.
