After a slow start offensively, a five-run fourth inning and a three-run seventh lifted the Stony Brook baseball team led to another midweek win. 

Coming off a difficult weekend, the Seawolves (12-14, 1-5 CAA) hosted the Manhattan Jaspers (10-17, 5-7 MAAC) at Joe Nathan Field on Tuesday. Both offenses were quiet for the first three innings, before sloppy defense and timely hitting opened the scoring. Using big innings in the fifth and seventh gave Stony Brook a 10-4 victory — extending their midweek winning streak to four. 

As has been the case all season, head coach Matt Senk rolled out a bullpen game, with relief pitcher Ty Panariello getting the start. Panariello opened the game off with three scoreless innings. 

Following a leadoff walk given out by Panariello in the first, neither team put a runner on until the fourth, where the Seawolves broke the ice in the fourth inning. Facing relief pitcher Jacob Smoot, Stony Brook put a runner at third base with one out. With the infield drawn in, first baseman Nico Azpilcueta punched a ball past the shortstop to open the scoring. 

The Seawolves then loaded the bases after consecutive hit batsmen before second baseman Brett Davino launched a deep fly ball to right field. Manhattan right fielder Aidan Taclas tracked the ball to the fence, before leaping at the wall and bringing back a would-be grand slam. Nonetheless, Azpilcueta tagged and scored on the play, making it 2-0.

With two men still aboard, catcher Scott Gell bounced a grounder to third, but reached on a throwing error, plating the third Stony Brook run of the game. Left fielder Chris Carson then floated a single to left-center field to bring home two more runs and put the Seawolves up five.

“I was really pleased with our guys to be able to rebound offensively from a really frustrating weekend,” Senk said in a postgame interview with The Statesman. “I told the team after the game on Sunday that they needed to regroup and come ready to play today. Their approach all around was really positive and I think that allowed us to play a nice game today.”

Ahead 5-0, Senk turned to reliever Vincent Mariella in the fifth inning. Mariella quickly loaded the bases, giving up two singles and a walk before the Jaspers scored two more on a pair of fielder’s choices. After Senk yanked Mariella in favor of relief pitcher Ryan Dieguez, another Manhattan run crossed on a wild pitch to end the inning with a score of 5-3. 

However, the Seawolves continued to pull away as the game got older, adding solo homers from Azpilcueta and Carson in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Azpilcueta now has six home runs in his last seven games.

“I’m trying to be more relaxed and loose at the plate,” Azpilcueta said. “When I’m calm, I see the ball really well and that helps me put a good swing on when I get my pitch.”

Carson’s shot was a low line drive into the right-field bullpen, his first career home run against a left-handed arm.

“They were trying to spin it against me all game,” Carson said. “I recognized it out of his hand and he happened to hang it so I stayed on it well and put it over the fence.”

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Senk brought in reliever Aidan Colagrande for his first appearance after recovering from elbow surgery. Colagrande responded with aplomb, retiring both batters that he faced, including a strikeout to start the seventh.

“It felt awesome,” Colagrande said. “It was a long recovery and rehab process so it was really nice to get back out there, throw a zero and help the guys win.”

Stony Brook extended their lead to 10-3, adding a trio in the seventh. Center fielder Nick Zampieron started the frame with a leadoff single, before Azpilcueta came up with a run-scoring double to allow Zampieron to score another run. Right fielder Chanz Doughty added on with a single of his own, bringing home designated hitter Erik Paulsen, who reached on a catcher’s interference. Finally, James Schaffer — who played second in place of Davino in the later innings — came up with his first collegiate hit, also picking up a run batted in (RBI).

Ahead 10-3, the Seawolves closed out the ballgame with pitcher Nicholas Rizzo tallying the final three outs, allowing a run on two walks and a hit.

Stony Brook showcased its strength offensively, producing double-digit runs for the eighth time this season. As a team, the Seawolves had eight total, two of which left the park. 

Azpilcueta was the biggest offensive threat, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while also scoring three times. He is now in a tie for fourth in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in home runs with eight. 

Carson had arguably his best game of the season, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a long ball. Additionally, Zampieron scored twice while Doughty, Schaffer and Davino added RBIs. Outside of Azpilcueta and Carson, no Seawolf had multiple hits. 

On the mound, Senk utilized seven different arms, with all but Mariella and Rizzo registering zeros. Relief pitcher Jacob Pedersen threw 1 ⅔ scoreless in the late innings, while reliever Matt Sgambati was the winning pitcher. As a staff, Stony Brook struck out nine batters and allowed just four runs on three hits and four walks.

Now done with their five-game homestand, the Seawolves will head south to continue their CAA schedule against the North Carolina A&T Aggies in a three-game set this weekend. The Aggies are 8-18 overall and 4-2 in conference play. N.C. A&T struggled its last time out, losing to Winthrop University in 10-3 fashion. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

George Caratzas also contributed reporting.