When the Stony Brook Seawolves and the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds faced off Wednesday, the Seawolves dominated the game from start to finish.
After nine innings of baseball, the Seawolves left LIU Field with an 8-1 win.
Stony Brook was on the board within the first couple of innings against LIU Brooklyn junior pitcher Chas Lacko. Senior second baseman Jack Parenty hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, then freshman catcher Sean Buckhout had a sacrifice fly of his own in the second inning. Through two innings of play, the Seawolves had a 2-0 lead.
Stony Brook’s most productive inning on offense was the fourth inning, when sophomore left fielder Andruw Gazzola stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and converted, driving a three-run, bases-clearing double that gave Stony Brook a 6-0 lead. Gazzola finished the contest 3-for-3, raising his team-best batting average to .355 this season.
The Seawolves’ starter, sophomore pitcher Kevin Kernan, pitched a scoreless three innings in Wednesday’s win. The left-hander struck out three Blackbirds, surrendered one hit and only walked one batter.
Freshman pitcher Tim Kranz was the first Seawolves reliever to come out of the bullpen. Kranz pitched into the sixth inning before being pulled after he loaded the bases from giving up two hits and walking one. Kranz allowed one run in 2.1 innings pitched, striking out two batters. He was replaced with sophomore left hander Cole Creighton, who gave up one run that was charged to Kranz before getting out of the sixth inning with limited damage, Stony Brook still leading, 7-1.
The sixth inning was the only form of a rally that the Blackbirds would be able to muster as they only managed one hit for the rest of game. Three Seawolves pitchers — Creighton, sophomore Nicholas DiEva and sophomore Aaron Pinto — combined for 3.2 shutout innings while only surrendering two hits and striking out six.
Stony Brook played this game with ease, taking the lead and never looking back. Kranz received the win for the Seawolves, the first of his collegiate career. Lacko received the loss for the Blackbirds.
The Seawolves have won seven of their last eight games and have outscored their opponents 60-17 over that stretch.
Stony Brook’s overall record improved to 15-13. The team returns home this weekend to Joe Nathan Field for a three-game series with America East rival UMass Lowell.
