TOWSON, Md. — The Stony Brook baseball team rallied for three runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by
Nico Azpilcueta's 16th home run of the season, but it wasn't enough to overcome an early deficit, as Towson claimed an 11-3 victory on Friday afternoon at Schuerholz Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Right-hander Eddie Smink made his team-leading 12th start of the season and delivered a 1-2-3 opening frame after the Seawolves went down in order to start the game.
- In the second, Chanz Doughty and Johnny Pilla each drove balls to the warning track but came up just short. Towson opened the scoring with a run in the bottom half, but Smink stranded two runners with a bunt-out to keep it 1-0.
- After a two-run homer from the Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 in the third, Smink rebounded to retire the next three batters in order. Azpilcueta broke up the no-hitter in the fourth with a two-out single, but the Seawolves couldn't capitalize.
- Smink allowed a leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth but kept Towson off the board again. Pilla led off the fifth with a single before a double play erased the momentum. In relief, Jacob Pedersen entered and allowed two runs in the bottom half, making it 5-0. The inning ended with a highlight defensive play from Szepek and Matt Miceli, who teamed up to tag out a runner at the plate.
- Stony Brook broke through in the seventh. After Erik Paulsen singled, Azpilcueta crushed a two-run shot to right field. Doughty followed with a double and came around to score on a fielder's choice by Luke Szepek, trimming the deficit to 5-3.
- However, Towson responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half—taking advantage of two Seawolf errors—to push their lead to 7-3.
- Matthew Jackson sparked the eighth with a one-out single and advanced on a wild pitch, but Towson ended the threat. After a weather delay, Vincent Mariella entered with a runner on and one out in the eighth, but the Tigers struck for four runs to extend their lead to 11-3.
- The Seawolves were retired in order in the ninth as Towson secured the series-opening win.
STATS AND NOTES
- Azpilcueta launched his CAA-leading 16th home run, passing Robert Dwyer ('09) for second-most in a single DI season in program history. He now trails only Alex Trezza ('01), who holds the record with 23.
- Pilla recorded his 12th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 at the plate.
- Paulsen extended his on-base streak to 14 straight games with a single and a run scored.
- Jackson and Doughty each tallied hits in the contest.
- Smink worked 4.0 innings in the start, allowing three earned runs and striking out three.
- The Seawolves held Towson to just 1-for-8 (.125) with two outs.
- Stony Brook committed four errors in the contest, matching a season-high.
- The Seawolves are now 4-4 all-time against Towson, snapping a three-game winning streak in the series.
NEXT UP
Stony Brook looks to even the series when they take on Towson in game two of the weekend set on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
