Stony Brook won the first game of a double header against Manhattan College at University Field on Sunday with a high-powered offensive showcase. The Seawolves scored nine runs, six of which came in the first inning. Junior left fielder Ileana Torres had three hits and an RBI in the 9-3 win.
The team had four different players drive in RBIs in the first inning rally. Torres’ lone RBI of the game came with the bases loaded. The junior had two more singles in the game, giving her a game-high three hits, a personal best.
“I liked that game one box score,” head coach Megan Bryant said. “It was a good all around effort.”
Sophomore designated player Katelyn Corr breached base successfully in all four plate appearances – she had two hits and two walks. The sophomore is one of four Seawolves who is ranked in the top-20 in batting average in the America East.
Freshman starting pitcher Melissa Rahrich went the distance, surrendering three runs on eight hits in seven innings pitched. She tied her season-high in strikeouts with seven en route to her tenth win of the season.
However, she did struggle in the fifth inning when a lead off double by Jaspers junior right fielder Briana Matazinsky set the table for a rally. After surrendering two runs in the inning, Rahrich settled down and struck out junior third baseman Victoria Ross looking to get out of the jam.
“It’s always easier for everyone, the pitchers, the defense, to play with a lead,” said coach Bryant. “That second game we ran into was an old-fashioned pitchers duel.”
The Seawolves’ bats went silent after an explosive game one, having no answers for Jaspers freshman starting pitcher Nicole Williams. The team failed to give sophomore starting pitcher Lindsey Hughes any run support while the game was still within reach, and got shutout 9-0.
Stony Brook was trailing by one run for the first five innings. Hughes was neck and neck with Williams, only allowing just one run to keep pace with Williams’ shutout. It was Williams’ fourth shutout of the season.
Manhattan’s sophomore second baseman Lauren Pitney added another run to the lead on a single to left center field in the top of the sixth, giving her team a two-run lead.
Stony Brook had a chance to score with two runners on base in the bottom of the sixth. But the potential rally fizzled out when senior shortstop Lexie Shue hit a weak ground ball to second base, ending the inning.
“I thought the effort was here in the second game,” coach Bryant said. “…until that seventh.”
The Jaspers capitalized on a pair of errors by the left side of Stony Brook’s infield, scoring six runs in the top of the seventh, wiping out Hughes’ performance.
Pitney had two hits and two RBIs leading the way at the plate for the Jaspers in the win. She leads the Jaspers in batting average and is second in RBIs.
The Seawolves mustered up four hits in the game and left seven runners on.
“The split is not really what we’re after,” coach Bryant said. “You can have the effort and sometimes not have the results.”
The split of the doubleheader puts the team’s record at 14-27.
Stony Brook returns to play beginning on Friday against Binghamton, the new first place team in the America East. Depending on the results of this series, it could potentially be a first round matchup in the America East tournament.
