JONESBORO, Ark. — The Stony Brook baseball team opened its 2026 season Friday with a doubleheader against Arkansas State, falling to the Red Wolves, 9-8 and 4-0.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
- Micah Worley got the Opening Day start for the Seawolves. The left-hander surrendered three runs over the first two innings before settling in and striking out six straight batters through the fourth.
- Johnny Pilla and Nick Zampieron each recorded hits in the second and third innings, but Arkansas State kept Stony Brook off the board through three frames.
- Matthew Canizares entered in the fourth, when the Red Wolves broke the game open. Arkansas State launched a three-run homer and added two more runs in the inning to build an 8-0 advantage.
- The Seawolves began to chip away in the fifth. Coffey scored on an RBI single to left by Zampieron. An inning later, Chris Carson delivered the big swing, blasting a grand slam off the scoreboard that scored Scott Gell, Luke Szepek and Coffey to cut the deficit to 8-6.
- After Canizares worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning, Ty Panariello took over in the sixth and gave Stony Brook a lift out of the bullpen. The right-hander tossed three innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four.
- Stony Brook mounted one final push in the seventh. Doughty and Szepek drew walks to start the rally, and Coffey drove in Doughty with a liner to center. Gell later reached on an error that allowed Szepek to score, trimming the deficit to one. The Seawolves, however, left the tying run at third as Arkansas State escaped with the 9-8 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
- Hunter Colagrande took the ball in the nightcap. The right-hander allowed a solo home run in the first inning but stranded two runners in the second to keep it a one-run game.
- After Stony Brook went down in order in the third, Arkansas State added another solo shot to extend the lead to 2-0. Colagrande ended the inning with a strikeout to limit further damage.
- Zampieron provided the Seawolves' first baserunner in the fourth with a one-out walk. He stole both second and third but was left stranded. Colagrande responded with a 1-2-3 fourth to keep the deficit at two.
- Christian Martinez made his Seawolves debut in the fifth. Arkansas State scored twice, including one unearned run, to push the lead to 4-0, but Martinez escaped a bases-loaded jam with a flyout to left.
- Dylan Henshaw made his first collegiate appearance in the sixth and retired the side in order, recording his first career strikeout.
- Zampieron opened the seventh with Stony Brook's first hit but was caught stealing during the next at-bat. Doughty later singled with two outs and Pilla drew a walk, though Arkansas State ended the threat with a strikeout.
- Aidan Colagrande entered with two outs in the seventh and stranded runners at second and third with a three-pitch strikeout. He combined with John Rizzo for a scoreless eighth.
- In the ninth, the Seawolves threatened one last time. With two outs, Jackson doubled, Nicholas Dromboski reached on a throwing error and Pilla walked to load the bases. Arkansas State made a pitching change and recorded a strikeout to seal the 4-0 victory.
STATS AND NOTES
- Friday marked the first meeting between the two programs.
- Zampieron finished with a team-high three hits across the doubleheader.
- Dromboski, Paul Dulanto, Jordan Welch and Henshaw all made their collegiate debuts.
- Worley struck out six and allowed three runs in his Game 1 start.
- Henshaw, Rizzo and Aidan Colagrande combined for 3.0 scoreless innings in Game 2. Hunter Colagrande allowed two runs over four innings in the second game as the starter.
- The Seawolves struck out 23 batters across the two games, including 13 in Game 1 — their highest single-game total since recording 14 against Siena on March 8, 2024.
UP NEXT
Stony Brook returns to the field Sunday for the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for noon on ESPN+.
