The Seawolves headed up to West Hartford, Conn. this weekend to participate in the Dodd Stadium College Baseball Classic. SBU went on to pick up wins over Bryant and UConn on Saturday, before falling to the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon.
In the team’s first game against Bryant, starting pitcher Frankie Vanderka found himself getting into first inning trouble. The senior gave up four runs in the frame, including a two-run homer to junior John Mullen.
The Bulldogs would hold a 4-0 advantage until the top of the fourth inning, when an RBI single by freshman Casey Baker got the Seawolves on the board. A sacrifice fly by senior catcher Anthony Italiano later in the inning cut Bryant’s lead to 4-2.
Then in the top of the fifth inning a pair of Bulldog miscues allowed SBU to tie the game at four. Two Bryant errors would allow junior Robert Chavarria and junior Kevin Krause to score.
But, in the bottom of the inning the Bulldogs would retake the lead on an RBI single by Robby Rinn.
After a rough beginning Vanderka would keep Stony Brook in the game by going seven innings, and only allowing only one run after the first.
The Seawolves’ offense would reward their starter’s gritty effort in the top of the ninth. Senior Josh Mason started the inning with a leadoff walk. He then advanced to second base on a wild pitch.
Chavarria would then tie the game with an RBI single up the middle, which drove in Mason.
Later on in the inning Stony Brook brought junior Cole Peragine to the plate with two on and two out. Peragine delivered a three-run shot down the left field line to give his team an 8-5 lead.
Freshman Cameron Stone then escaped trouble in the bottom of the ninth to nail down the win for Stony Brook and pick up his fifth save of the year.
In the second Saturday game the Seawolves took on UConn.
This time the Seawolves got on the board first, when senior Kevin Courtney came up with a first inning RBI single.
But, the Huskies would strike back in the second inning with three runs. Starter Ryley MacEachern was removed from the game after just going two innings.
Going into the top of the fifth Stony Brook trailed 3-2. Chavarria would lead off the inning with a single, and Peragine would then drive him in on an RBI double to tie the game.
Later in the inning sophomore Jack Parenty came up with his only hit of the day, a two-RBI single, to give SBU a 5-3 advantge.
One batter later freshman Toby Handley would give the Seawolves a three-run lead, by coming up with a run scoring single.
Sophomore pitcher Tim Knesnik gave Stony Brook five shutout innings in relief to help the Seawolves on to their way to a 6-3 victory over UConn.
Senior Bryan Tatelman pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his first save of the year.
On Sunday afternoon Stony Brook once again took on Bryant. This time the Seawolves would fall to the Bulldogs by the score of 4-3.
This came despite the Chavarria and Handley going a combined 7-for-7 in the contest.
SBU jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a second inning RBI triple by Handley and a third inning RBI single by Courtney.
Stony Brook starting pitcher Tyler Honahan was strong through six innings, but ran into trouble in the top of the seventh.
The sophomore loaded the bases before he was pulled for the game in favor of senior Brandon McNitt. McNitt was unable to escape damage, allowing three runs to score and the Bulldogs to take a 3-2 lead.
In the eighth inning Bryant would add an insurance run on an RBI double by Buck McCarthy.
Stony Brook would pull within one in the ninth inning, after an RBI sacrifice fly by freshman Jeremy Giles.
But, this would be as close as they would get, as they ended the weekend with a loss.
Despite the defeat, the Seawolves have still won 15 of their last 20 contests.
The team’s overall record as of right now stands at 15-11.
On Tuesday, Stony Brook will head to New Rochelle to take on Iona. Then on Wednesday they will return to Joe Nathan Field to play Manhattan.
Next weekend SBU will return to America East conference play when they begin a three game set at home against Binghamton. Of the team’s final 22 games, 18 will be against conference opponents.
