By David O’Connor and Mike Daniello

Stony Brook softball needed just four and a half innings to put away Hartford on Sunday, which finished off a three-game sweep. Starting pitcher freshman Allison Cukrov pitched well again for the Seawolves, as she picked up her eighth victory of the season. She gave up just four hits and struck out four batters in five innings of work.

The Seawolves (17-6) scored three runs in each of the first three innings and added one more in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Cukrov (8-4) retired the first three batters of the game, the Seawolves jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. “Our team played outstanding this weekend all around and we hit the ball really well,” Cukrov said.

Senior Suzanne Karath led off the inning with a single, and senior Lauren Maloney reached on an error. Both advanced on freshman Shayla Giosia’s sacrifice bunt. Senior Bernadette Tenuto hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in Karath. Sophomore Jessica Combs brought in Maloney with a double to right-center field. Combs then scored on freshman Lauren Kamachi’s single, to put Stony Brook up 3-0.

Giosia hit a three-run home run in the second inning, which scored Karath and Maloney. Cukrov escaped some trouble in the third inning after allowing a double with two outs to Amber Andrews.

After Andrews stole third base, Cukrov got Devynne Butler to ground out to second base.

After making two quick outs, Stony Brook rallied to score three more runs in the bottom half of the third inning. Karath was hit by a pitch and Maloney followed with a home run. Giosia came up next and hit her second home run of the day, this one a solo shot.

Stony Brook turned a double play in the fourth inning and scored their tenth run in the bottom half.

Sophomore Nicole Schieferstein tripled in sophomore Nicole Hagerty, who doubled earlier in the inning.

With a 10-0 lead and the mercy rule still in effect, Cukrov retired the final batters on the Hawks to end the game.

“We have a lot of players playing well right now and Ali [Cukrov] has been a difference maker for us,” coach Megan Bryant said.

Kaitlyn Meade got the loss for the Hawks (4-17, 0-3) as she gave up six runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.

The two teams began the weekend series on Saturday afternoon.

Cukrov started the first game on that day as well. She shut out the Hawks by a 4-0 score, holding them to four hits and striking out six.

The Stony Brook offense was able to back up Cukrov from early on in the game.
The Seawolves scored their first run of the game in the second inning when Hagerty hit a single on the ground into right field, allowing Tenuto to score the first run of the game.

The Seawolves did not have to wait long for their next run. Batting immediately following Hagerty, Schieferstein slammed a single into center field. The center fielder messed up the play, however, and another run scored.

In the bottom of the third inning, Giosia took a free pass to first base with a walk. She scored later in the inning when Tenuto hit a single into center field.

Stony Brook scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Maloney hit a home run over the left field fence.

The second game was more difficult for Stony Brook, as the Hawks scored the first run of the game in the first inning as a result of both Amber Andrews double to open the game and her timely base running.

Stony Brook had a hard time putting runs on the board for most of the game. It would not score a run in the first three innings. It did not help the Seawolves that they committed three errors throughout the game that day.

“We obviously hit the ball better in the first game,” Bryant said. “The defense could have been better in game two.”

However, Stony Brook’s woes came to an end in the fourth inning. With two outs in the inning, Hagerty hit a single to get on base.

Kamachi came up next and hit a home run, giving her team the 2-1 lead.

“I’m really proud of Lauren Kamachi stepping up,” Bryant said. “[She’s] a good hitter. She needs to get at bats, and I thought she made the most of the at bats she had today.”

The Seawolves once again scored the last run of the game. This time, Combs hit a home run, increasing her team’s lead to two runs.

Junior pitcher Taylor Chain (4-1) secured the victory in the second game, and Cukrov came in to finish off the Hawks in the final inning. It is her third save of the year.

Stony Brook will take on Iona on Wednesday and will travel to Boston University next weekend, attempting to continue its strong start to conference.

“It’s important,” Bryant said. “You have to make the most of the conference opportunities. We’re off to a good start.”