On a day where it got contributions from nearly everyone on the field, the Stony Brook baseball team easily won its fifth game in a row.
The Seawolves (21-17, 9-6 CAA) closed out their homestand with a bang on Tuesday when they hosted the Manhattan Jaspers (12-26, 5-10 MAAC) at Joe Nathan Field. Powered by standout performances from center fielder Cam Santerre and shortstop Matt Miceli, Stony Brook decimated Manhattan in a 16-4 thumping.
Despite the one-sided nature of the game, the Seawolves got off on the wrong foot. After relief pitcher Colton Book — who got the start — surrendered back-to-back singles in the top of the first inning, third baseman Drew Wyers blasted a three-run home run over the left-field fence to put the Jaspers up 3-0.
Luckily for Stony Brook, Manhattan starting pitcher Tyler Babel was not sharp either. Babel filled the bases with a single and two walks to start his day, allowing second baseman Johnny Pilla to pick up a run batted in (RBI) with a fielder’s choice. During the ensuing at-bat, Babel walked catcher Nick Solorzano to reload the bases. Immediately after, he issued a free pass to third baseman Joe DeLanzo to force in another run.
In the top of the second inning, Book did not allow a hit, but he struggled with his command. Book walked the first two batters he faced in the frame and right fielder Aidan Katzman bunted them into scoring position, allowing center fielder Frankie Marinelli to bring home a run with a sacrifice fly.
However, that was all the offense the Jaspers mustered up, as the Seawolves completely took control of the contest in the home half of the second inning. With two away, Santerre and Miceli both drew walks, setting the table for first baseman Erik Paulsen to dump an RBI single into right field. Pilla followed by sending a potential inning-ending ground ball Manhattan shortstop Chase Swain’s way, but the ball snuck under his glove, allowing the tying run to score.
Babel fell apart on the mound right after that, as he hit Solorzano with a pitch to load the bases once again before DeLanzo worked another walk to give his team a 5-4 lead. After Babel issued his eighth free pass of the game and a single with one out in the bottom of the third inning, relief pitcher Carter Cowburn was rudely welcomed into the contest by Stony Brook. Santerre immediately swiped second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position and Miceli followed by ripping a two-run single into center field.
Miceli kept it simple in the batter’s box, allowing him to go 2-for-3 on the day with three RBIs, two walks and four runs scored.
“I was just trying to hit good pitches,” Miceli said in a postgame interview with The Statesman. “Stay on top of the ball and hit line drives all over the field.”
Miceli advanced to second base on a throwing error and with two gone, Pilla smoked a single into left-center field to make it 8-4.
The Jaspers’ blunders continued in the fourth inning, as the Seawolves posted seven runs in the frame. With two runners on, Santerre drove them both in with a long double off the batter’s eye.
Santerre went 3-for-5 with the aforementioned double, two walks, two RBIs, four runs and three stolen bases. He attributed his success to being locked in from the get-go.
“I just came here focused,” Santerre said. “I felt really confident coming into today. I just wanted to see some pitches in my first at-bat. I worked a long at-bat and from there, I felt like I was seeing the ball well for the rest of the day.”
Miceli followed by singling in his third RBI of the day and with the bases loaded. Two batters later, Cowburn hurled a wild pitch to bring in Miceli and make it 12-4. During the ensuing at-bat, Solorzano blooped a sun-aided, two-run triple into shallow left field, chasing Cowburn from the game. Upon entering, Manhattan relief pitcher Patrick Benn threw a wild pitch of his own, bringing home Solorzano with the seventh run of the frame.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, catcher Scott Gell recorded his first collegiate hit and DeLanzo doubled him in to round out the scoring.
Following the low-intensity victory, head coach Matt Senk complimented his lineup from top to bottom.
“Miceli refocused and his at-bats were tremendous,” Senk said. “Cam did a great job, [Paulsen] swung the bat like a middle-of-the-order guy, and it was good to see a lot of the guys that haven’t been playing go up there and have some really good at-bats.”
Though its offense took center stage, Stony Brook’s bullpen was superb. Relief pitchers Brendan Pattermann, Jerek Hobb, Quinlan Montgomery, Ty Panariello, Ty Stout and Ty Saunders combined for seven scoreless innings of one-hit baseball. Additionally, they allowed just two walks and a hit batsman while striking out five batters.
Pattermann had the best outing with two hitless innings, two strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch. Everyone that followed pitched one inning apiece, with Panariello, Stout and Saunders combining to pitch a perfect final three frames. Saunders finished the game and struck out two.
Paulsen and Pilla also had nice days. Paulsen went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, two runs and a walk. Batting cleanup, Pilla went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, one run, a walk and a steal.
Solorzano was a key run producer as well. He went 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBIs, a run, two walks and a hit-by-pitch. DeLanzo took advantage of his first start of the season by going 1-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a pair of walks. Right fielder Matty Wright did his part from the nine-hole, as he went 1-for-4 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two runs scored.
After a short reprieve, the Seawolves will return to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) action when it takes on the Monmouth Hawks in New Jersey for a three-game series. Monmouth is 11-23 overall this season and 5-10 in CAA play. The set’s first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday.
