Dawn Bodrug tossed her third no-hitter of the season to open up a three-game sweep of Hartford.
Stony Brook softball continued to roll this past weekend as the bats and arms came together in a total beatdown of the last-place Hawks (13-25, 2-10 AE). Everything went Stony Brook’s way from Saturday to Sunday, protecting its home yard perfectly to improve to 26-13 (6-3 AE) on the season.
Game one was historic. Bodrug threw her third no-hitter of the season while the offense was able to force a five-inning mercy-rule. The no-hitter was also the fifth of Bodrug’s career. Her previous two no-nos this season were on April 2 against Maine and April 5 against St. John’s. In her outing on Saturday, Bodrug only allowed two walks and struck out 10.
Meanwhile, the offense went to work. The Seawolves won 11-0, with their bats racking up 12 hits in just four innings. They scored 10 runs against Hartford starting pitcher Caylee English. A six-run second inning started the scoring for Stony Brook, and a five-run third inning capped it. After that, Bodrug was able to hold Hartford off the board for the final two innings to secure the no-hitter.
Eight of the nine Seawolves hit safely, and all nine reached base. They were led by left fielder Catherine Anne Kupinski’s 3-for-3 game with a double and two RBIs. Third baseman Brooke Dye also had a good day by going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs of her own.
Game two was a pitcher’s duel between Hartford starter Julianna Kocenski and Stony Brook starter Shelbi Denman. However, Denman had the upper hand, tossing a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts. Over her seven innings of work, she allowed seven hits and one walk, but stranded every baserunner to keep Hartford at bay. Opposite her, Kocenski allowed only five hits in six innings.
Dye delivered the biggest hit in the bottom of the fifth when she singled home first baseman Ashley Jacobson to give Stony Brook a 1-0 lead. The one run was all Denman needed, as she escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and stranded the tying run in the seventh to secure her shutout. Stony Brook won game two by that same score.
With the shutout, Denman lowered her ERA this season to 1.92, which would be a career best.
Game three was a steady victory for the Seawolves, winning 6-2 to complete the sweep. Bodrug started again and went the distance, allowing two earned runs on five hits. She struck out 13 while only walking one.
Catcher Corinne Badger started the scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the first, but Hartford took the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Trailing 2-1, Dye bounced into a run-scoring fielder’s choice to tie the game.
In the bottom of the fourth, first baseman Lindsey Osmer broke the tie with an RBI double. Later, with the bases loaded, center fielder Alicia Orosco reached on an error by the Hawks shortstop that drove in a run. Stony Brook took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning, where Kupinski and Orosco RBI hits put the game out of reach.
Bodrug slammed the door on the weekend with a strikeout of first baseman Haley Cassidy, finishing the sweep. Head coach Megan T. Bryant was complimentary of her team’s effort and performance this weekend.
“The third game in a series is going to take adjustments and the ability to take punches and throw them back. We did that … and played with synergy and grit,” Bryant said.
Stony Brook’s ace now owns a 1.73 ERA and has 249 strikeouts this season, besting her mark of 245 last year while doing so in nearly 20 less innings.
The Seawolves’ next matchup is an important one; next Wednesday, they will continue their homestand against the first-place UMBC Retrievers. The game starts at 1 p.m. and will likely feature yet another matchup between Bodrug and UMBC starter Courtney Coppersmith. The two last met on April 13 in Baltimore, where UMBC swept a doubleheader from Stony Brook.
