Despite losing its program-best 18-game winning streak, the Stony Brook softball team capped off its 2024 home season with a strong weekend.
The Seawolves (32-14, 17-7 CAA) played host to the Elon Phoenix (20-27, 14-10 CAA) this weekend. After taking the series opener 4-3 in walk-off fashion, Stony Brook lost the second game 9-7 before taking the rubber game 8-1.
On Friday, Elon first baseman Gabi Schaal opened the scoring in the top of the second inning by taking starting pitcher Mia Haynes over the scoreboard to take a quick 1-0 lead. However, the Seawolves responded quickly and tied the game in the bottom half. After two Phoenix errors and a single loaded the bases, right fielder Alyssa Costello grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home the equalizer.
In the top of the third, Haynes surrendered a leadoff single to Elon centerfielder Drew Menscer before walking two of the next three hitters to pack the bases. Catcher Carley Davis bounced out to second base to go ahead 2-1.
This score held until the bottom of the fourth when Stony Brook grabbed the lead. Third baseman Brooke Dye reached base with a one-out walk before Costello flipped the scoreboard with her first home run of the year: a two-run blast.
Costello was relieved to reap the rewards of good swings after a long power slump to start the year.
“It felt really good,” Costello said in an interview with The Statesman. “I feel like I’ve been seeing the ball really well and I’ve been putting good barrels on it so I feel like it was only a matter of time before it carried that extra 10 feet or so.”
Ahead 3-2, the lead was short-lived as the Phoenix manufactured the game-tying run in the fifth inning. Haynes once again put herself in trouble by walking the first two hitters. Davis then bounced a potential double play ball to shortstop but Kyra McFarland bobbled the chance to load the bases with nobody out. Elon third baseman Allee Seering followed by grounding out to Dye to bring in the tying run. Haynes then induced a pair of harmless ground balls to keep the game in a deadlock.
The Phoenix looked to grab the lead in the top of the seventh as a couple of one-out hits set up runners at the corners. Head Coach Megan Bryant then made the move to the bullpen, pulling Haynes in favor of reliever Ashton Melaas.
Melaas successfully evaded the threat by striking out Schaal and forcing second baseman Greta Hessenthaler to pop out in foul territory.
In the home half, the first two Seawolves went down quickly but designated player Julianna Sanzone delivered the keynote. Batting with a 2-1 count Sanzone blasted a walk-off home run to extend their program-best winning streak to 18.
Sanzone attributed her heroics to her ability to stay composed in the moment.
“I was a little worried about it,” Sanzone said. “But I brought my confidence and presence that I’ve been working on a lot … and it paid off.”
Despite only scoring four runs, Stony Brook was able to pull out the victory in large part due to a gutsy all-around effort according to Bryant.
“This team is playing with a lot of confidence,” Bryant said. “There’s no quit in this group and we find ways to win.”
The Seawolves went down early again in Saturday’s affair as Schaal once again delivered the big blow. With a run already home in the first, Schaal blasted a three-run shot to put Elon ahead 4-0.
Stony Brook fought their way back with two in their half of the first as Sanzone was once again the catalyst. With the bases loaded and one out, Sanzone looped a single into left to get her team on the board. Second baseman Naiah Ackerman followed by testing the confines of University Field but coming up just short. Her shot was reeled in at the warning track but brought in a run.
Elon would extend their lead to 6-2 with a pair in the second. With a run already home, Davis smoked a double off the top of the center field fence to chase starter Gabrielle Maday from the ballgame. Relief pitcher Jordyn Fray extinguished the fire by inducing a groundout from Seering to hold the deficit to four.
The Seawolves offense then went back to work by pushing three across. After Dye and Costello drew consecutive walks to open the inning, McFarland was handed a free pass to load the bases with one out. Dye then scampered home on a wild pitch before left fielder Catherine Anne Kupinski banged one off the left-field fence to bring in a pair and make the score 6-5.
With Stony Brook still hanging around, Elon put the game out of reach in the fourth as Davis blasted a three-run homer to go up 9-5. The Seawolves would scratch out single runs in the fifth and sixth before a 1-2-3 seventh inning capped off a streak ending 9-7 loss.
Sunday started with a celebratory senior day ceremony, but it was the Phoenix that delivered the early festivities for the third straight game. With runners at second and third, Hessentha rolled a single through the middle to score a run in the top of the second.
Down a run in the bottom of the second inning Stony Brook turned the game around. After Sanzone reached on an error, catcher Emily Reinstein lofted a home run to left field to go ahead 2-1. Later in the inning, Costello ripped a single to right field. Center fielder Alicia Orosco then blasted a long ball to dead center to extend the lead to three.
Orosco — who had just one home run before Sunday — commented on how much her blast meant given the day’s significance.
“It felt really good, especially on this day,” said Orosco. “My parents flew in from California so they were really happy to see that.”
After being given the lead, starting pitcher Haynes ran with it by throwing scoreless frames in the third and fourth before her offense added on in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The bottom of the order was once again the spark plug as a walk from Dye and a single from Costello started the inning. After Orosco and McFarland were retired, Kupinski drew ball-four to load the bases. Badger and Sanzone then followed with consecutive walks to force in two runs.
An inning later, Reinstein opened the inning with a double. After a bunt and base on balls, Orosco dropped down a bunt to score Dye from third. McFarland then grounded one to first to score Costello and make the score 8-1.
Haynes then went back to work by retiring five of the next seven batters — while also being helped by a twin killing — to end the game.
In her final career start at home, Haynes commended her team for helping her with both the bats and their gloves.
“I think it [having a lead] gives me more confidence,” Haynes said. “It shows that they [her teammates] are working for me so I have to go out there and do the same.”
Bryant commended her team’s all-around success and pitching fortitude in the decisive win.
“Pretty special ballgame to send our seniors off with a hard-earned win,” Bryant said. “I thought we played well in all three parts of the game and Mia was outstanding.”
The Seawolves offense was led by Costello who had a big weekend out of the nine-hole. In eight at bats, the junior tallied four hits and five runs scored. She also blasted a home run and drove in three runs.
Sanzone stayed hot by going 4-for-9 with three runs scored. She also drove in three runs — one in each game — including the game-ending bomb in Friday’s matinee.
Kupinski continued her strong season with a 4-for-10 weekend that saw her smack a double and drive in a pair. Orosco went 4-for-12 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a home run.
Reinstein had her best series in over a month by tallying four hits in 10 trips to the plate. She notched a home run and a double and also drove in three runs.
In the circle, Haynes led the way with 13 ⅓ innings pitched, only allowing four earned runs. She struggled with control, walking 10 across the weekend but struck out 13 Phoenix hitters.
Maday lasted just 1 ⅔ innings while surrendering six runs on six hits. Melaas notched 4 ⅓ scoreless innings across two appearances while punching three batters. In just her third appearance of the season, Fray lasted 1 ⅔ innings and gave up three runs.
With their longest winning streak in program history now in the rearview mirror, Stony Brook will turn its attention to next weekend’s season finale where they will do battle with the North Carolina A&T Aggies. The Aggies are 11-33 overall and 5-18 in Coastal Athletic Association play after being swept by Campbell this past weekend. First pitch from Greensboro on Thursday is penciled in for 1 p.m.
