On Wednesday, April 30, Stony Brook’s baseball team powered its way to a convincing 16-3 victory over Fairfield. Freshman Evan Stecko-Haley picked up his second victory of the season for the Seawolves. He gave up two runs in five innings while notching seven strikeouts. The Seawolves were led by Michael Tansey and Rob Dyer, who each went 4-5. Tansey homered and had five RBI. Dyer also homered and had three RBI.
In the top of the first Fairfield jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on home run from shortstop Tucker Nathans. Stony Brook responded in the bottom of the second with fireworks of their own with Tansey’s home run to left field. A seven run fourth inning from the Seawolves chased Fairfield starter Ryan Calabrese. Calabrese was hit hard as he gave up nine earned runs in three and two thirds innings. In the bottom of the sixth the Seawolves would tack on another five runs to extend their lead to 16-3. As a team Stony Brook had a season high nineteen hits.
On Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, the Seawolves traveled to Easton, Penn., to take on Lafayette in back to back doubleheaders. In the first game of the series starting pitcher Zach Fritz went the distance for Lafayette, pitching seven shutout innings as the Seawolves fell 3-0. Tom Koehler started for Stony Brook and also went all seven, yet took the loss despite a quality outing. The Seawolves were unable to generate any offense as Fritz held them to three hits. Joe Ezekiel provided the little offense that Fritz would need as he went 2-3 with a home run. The Seawolves never threatened as only one base runner reached second base.
In game two of the four game set the Seawolves overcame a 8-0 deficit and defeated the Leopards 13-8. Down eight heading into the top of the seventh the Seawolves put together a nine run inning. The Seawolves put seven straight batters on base to begin the inning. Overall they would bring 14 players to the plate that inning and it would take three Lafayette pitchers to close out the inning. Rob Dyer went 3-4 with two RBI while Steven Mazzurco went 2-5 with two RBI. Matt Harloff got the victory out of the bullpen for the Seawolves while Brad Woodfield took the loss for Lafayette.
On Sunday Stony Brook dropped both games of the doubleheader as Lafayette defeated them 5-1 and 7-6. Evan Stecko-Haley started for the Seawolves in game one and did not fare well as he surrendered eight hits and five earned runs over two and two third’s innings. The offense also struggled as they only had five hits and were shut out following the first inning.
Kevin Reese started for Lafayette and went five and a third giving up five hits and only one earned run in the first inning. After two scoreless innings the Stecko-Haley ran into trouble in the third. He gave up six hits, three for extra bases as Lafayette picked up all five runs in this inning. Michael Barbot would come out of the bullpen to bail out Stecko-Haley. Barbot pitched the rest of the way, pitching three and a third innings of no hit baseball. Although Barbot kept the Seawolves in the game they failed to capitalize offensively.
In the second half of the doubleheader Stony Brook once again would struggle on the mound, as starter Jeremy Nowak battled through five and two thirds giving up 11 hits and five earned runs. Jordan Purington did not fare well either, as he gave up five hits and two runs in an inning and a third as he was charged with the loss. Lafayette was not much better on the mound as starting pitcher Ryan Hanna couldn’t make it through the fourth inning.
Offensively the Seawolves were led by first baseman Rob Dyer who went 3-4 with two RBI. Centerfielder Brian Witkowski went 2-4 and hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. Tom Hayes of Lafayette went 4-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. While the game was a see-saw battle throughout Lafayette reliever Steve Roberts shut the door on any thoughts of a comeback for the Seawolves as got the final six outs to pick up his fifth save. In his two innings of work he only allowed one hit and struck out four batters.
The Seawolves resume playing Friday afternoon as they open up a four game series with UMBC at home. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
