MIAMI, Fla. - The Seawolves opened their 2026 campaign down in Miami for the FIU Felsberg Invitational, dropping both games on opening day to Lehigh (15-6) and Louisville (7-4).
How It Happened (Game 1 vs. Lehigh)
- A walk and a hit by pitch quickly got two on for Stony Brook in the top of the first, paving the way for Rachael Brown to lace one into right center and drive in her first run as a Seawolf. The Mountain Hawks, though, would come right back and plate four unearned runs in the bottom of the inning.
- Ella Hayes got two of those run back the next inning as she ripped one to straightaway center for a two-run double and her first career hit at the Division I level. Once again, though, Lehigh immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning with a four spot to go up 8-3.
- In the top of the fifth, Brown drove in three more runs with towering shot to left for the first Stony Brook home run of the season.
- The Mountain Hawks would tack on seven more unearned runs over the final two innings of the day to enact the run rule after five and finish off the game 15-6.
How It Happened (Game 2 vs. Louisville)
- After starting the first game, Crimson Rice was back in the circle to start game two. Working around a couple baserunners in a scoreless first, she followed up with a 1-2-3 top of the second capped off by her second strikeout of the game.
- Madelyn Stepski drove in the first run of the day in the bottom of the second with sac fly to center to bring home Mia Vannelli.
- With two outs in the third, the Cardinals managed to string together a rally that culminated in four runs coming home. Melissa Reed would come in to get the final out of the inning, before retiring the side in order in the fourth.
- Louisville added on three more runs over the next two innings to take a 7-1 lead. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, the Seawolves got a late rally going after Malorie Hill reached on a double to right center. After an infield single from Kaiya Simpkins, Hayes brought home Hill thanks to a throwing error by the pitcher, before Marissa Thalassinos drove in Simpkins on a single through the left side. Then, another Cardinals throwing error on a double steal attempt allowed Hayes to come home and cut the lead down to 7-4. This would be as close as the Seawolves would get, however, as two fly outs ended the rally and the night.
Stats and Notes
- Newcomers Hayes and Brown accounted for all of Stony Brook's offense in game one, including all four of the team's hits and all six of its RBIs.
- Vannelli and Thalassinos were the only other Seawolves with multiple hits, with the former notching a pair of doubles vs. Louisville and the latter two singles.
- Aubrey Jepson and Reed made their career debuts in the circle today, each appearing in both games and combining for seven innings of relief.
Up Next
The Seawolves are back out on the field for another doubleheader in the FIU Felsberg Invitational tomorrow, starting with Texas A&M - Corpus Christi at 9 a.m., followed by the host FIU at 2 p.m. Game two will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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