On the back of five home runs — including three from the catcher position — the Stony Brook baseball team snapped its six-game losing streak, dismantling a local rival.
Despite the cold March weather, the Seawolves (4-6) came out swinging in the Bronx, as they took on the Fordham Rams (2-10) on Tuesday. Stony Brook took the lead in the third and never looked back, scoring double-digit runs for the second time this season and claiming a 14-2 victory.
After a scoreless first two frames, Fordham starting pitcher Jordan Rodarte cracked in the third. To lead off the inning, third baseman Evan Goforth demolished a solo homer to left-center field, putting the Seawolves up 1-0.
The following inning, they would add three more. Rodarte quickly got the first out, but then fell apart. With the bases empty, right fielder Chanz Doughty put up the first run of the frame by hitting his second home run of the season. Two batters later, catcher Luke Szepek left the yard for a two-run shot, putting Stony Brook up 4-0.
In the home half of the fourth, the Rams got on the scoreboard as first baseman Matt Dieguez lined a single to right field off starter John Rizzo to bring home designated hitter Madden Ocko.
Rizzo settled in from there, finishing the fifth having only given up a run on five hits with four strikeouts. On the other side, Rodarte lasted just 3 ⅓ innings while surrendering four runs and allowing three homers.
Neither team would add on until the top of the seventh, when second baseman Johnny Pilla lofted a double down the left-field line to score first baseman Erik Paulsen. Then, designated hitter Nico Azpilcueta knocked a two-out, run-scoring single to stretch the Seawolves’ lead to 6-1.
Stony Brook would put the game away late, adding four runs in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
In the eighth, Doughty singled to lead off and was quickly brought home on a triple by center fielder Chris Carson, who then came in to score on the play following a Rams error that let the ball get loose on the infield. Fordham then went deeper into its bullpen, calling on its fifth pitcher of the afternoon, reliever Diego Reilly-Bell. He quickly got Szepek in a 1-2 hole, but then gave up a solo shot to dead-center field, putting the Seawolves up 9-1. A sacrifice fly by catcher Nicholas Solorzano got Stony Brook into double-figures later in the inning.
In the ninth, catcher Scott Gell picked up where Szepek left off, launching his first career home run, a two-run shot to make it 12-1. A bases loaded walk and a run-scoring single capped the Seawolves’ effort at 14 runs.
Fordham would put up a run in the ninth, but Paulsen — who had moved from first base to the mound for the last inning — got the final three outs to give Stony Brook a rather convincing win.
Szepek had a career day, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and three runs batted in (RBI). Gell drove in a pair on his home run in the ninth, making for five total RBIs from the Seawolves’ pair of backstops.
Doughty also had three hits in four trips, adding a long ball and two runs scored. Carson went 1-for-2 with an RBI and scored twice after being walked and hit by a pitch. Paulsen reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch, run scored, RBI and a stolen base.
Third baseman Mike Villani — who pinch hit for Goforth — was the only other Stony Brook player to score twice, getting a hit in his only official at bat while also drawing a walk.
On the pitching side, reliever Jacob Pedersen fired two scoreless frames, working around three hits. Ty Panariello threw a scoreless eighth inning with a strikeout, before Paulsen gave up a run on three hits in the ninth.
Dieguez headed the Rams offense, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Fordham right fielder Andrew Kanellis also had three hits.
All but one Rams pitcher was tagged with at least a run, as Fordham head coach Kevin Leighton trotted seven different arms to the mound in the loss.
The Seawolves will stay in New York for their next series, welcoming the Niagara Purple Eagles to Joe Nathan Field on Friday for their home opener. The Purple Eagles have struggled mightily, going 1-8 in early season play after being swept in a two-game set against Valparaiso University. First pitch of the series opener is set for 2 p.m.
