Down 2-0, Stony Brook Baseball freshman catcher Sean Buckhout walked to begin the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior outfielder Toby Handley and sophomore outfielder Andruw Gazzola succeeded Buckhout in getting on base to load the bases for defending America East Player of the Year, senior second baseman Jack Parenty.
Parenty lined a two-run double to left center, scoring Buckhout and Handley to tie Manhattan 2-2 late in the game. The hit sparked a five-run sixth inning to put Stony Brook comfortably in front by three runs.
The Seawolves never looked back as they went on to defeat the Jaspers, 8-2, at Joe Nathan Field on Wednesday. Stony Brook improved its overall record to 12-12 on the season.
“Now we’re starting to see Jack show us why he was the Player of the Year last year,” head coach Matt Senk said. “It couldn’t have happened at a better time as we go into to this weekend against Hartford.”
Parenty reached base in all four of his plate appearances against the Jaspers including his game-tying double in the sixth. Parenty increased his batting average to .308 after hitting below .300 for most of the season. He is now batting .500 in his last four games for the Seawolves.
Senior first baseman Johnny Caputo also hit well on Wednesday, launching a two-run home run to deep left centerfield in the eighth inning, rounding out Stony Brook’s eight-run day. Caputo finished the game with three hits — an encouraging performance after sliding down to sixth in the batting order to make room in the order for freshman designated hitter David Resk.
“It doesn’t matter because, I mean, the guys in front of me are getting on base all the time,” Caputo said. “As long as guys are on base in front of me, I’m happy wherever I hit.”
In front of his family and loved ones watching from the bleachers, sophomore third baseman Bobby Honeyman drove a triple over Manhattan’s second baseman to score the final two runs of Stony Brook’s rally in the sixth inning.
Sophomore pitcher Nicholas DiEva got the start for the Seawolves, but tossed only two innings and allowed the only two runs by the Jaspers. Junior pitcher Connor Doyle collected his second win of the season after pitching three innings allowing just one hit, leading a bullpen effort that held the Jaspers scoreless in seven innings.
Stony Brook extended its home midweek winning streak to 20 straight games with the victory, in addition to improving to 9-0 at home this season.
After two more home wins this week, Stony Brook will return to conference play as the team heads to Al-Marzook Field to take on the Hartford Hawks with the weekend series beginning Friday at 3:30 p.m.
