SBU Sports

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook men’s lacrosse outlasted No. 12 Fairfield, 17-16, on March 29 at LaValle Stadium, handing the NCAA’s last remaining unbeaten team its first loss of the season. Kian McCoy paced the offense with a career-high six points (three goals, three assists) while Jamison MacLachlan made a season-best 20 saves in cage.

The high-scoring contest featured a 10-goal first half, seeing Stony Brook take an early 5-1 lead.

The Seawolves led 6-4 after the opening 15 minutes of action. Six different Seawolves scored a goal in the frame.

Fairfield trailed by four goals early on but scored three of the final four goals of the quarter to trim the deficit to two goals.

A five-goal scoring run that spanned the final three-plus minutes of the first quarter and the first six minutes of the second stanza gave Fairfield its first lead of the afternoon, 7-6.

Brendan Marino snapped Stony Brook’s nearly 15-minute scoring drought with his second of the afternoon to even the score at 7-7. McCoy followed with his second of the contest to put the Seawolves back in front.

The Stags tallied a pair of goals to back ahead by one before Richie DeChiaro scored in the final minute to even the contest at 9-all heading into the intermission.

The lead continued changing hands in the second half. McCoy completed his hat trick to break the ice in the second half and put Stony Brook in front 10-9.

Fairfield notched back-to-back goals to make it 11-10 in favor of the nationally-ranked visitors.

The two sides entered the fourth quarter all even at 13 after Tanner Williams found the back of the net to complete the scoring in the third quarter.

Carson Boyle netted a man-up goal and Collin Williamson padded the Seawolves lead to two goals with one of his own early in the fourth.

Fairfield responded with two more tallies to tie it again, 15-15. MacLachlan held strong in net, stopping a pair of Fairfield shots and keeping it even as the contest entered the final five minutes.

MacLachlan caused a turnover with less than three minutes to play, intercepting a pass to the X. Stony Brook gained possession, cleared and called timeout to set the offense.

Ray O’Brien scored the go-ahead goal, unassisted, sneaking a shot inside, with help from the post, with 2:17 to play.

Robbie Smith won the ensuing face-off, leading to a Caleb Yeung unassisted goal to push the lead to two goals with 1:06 to play.

Smith won the next face-off as well, but Fairfield forced a turnover and scored with 20 seconds to play.

After a Fairfield timeout, the Stags went early on the face-off, giving what proved to be the final possession of the contest to Stony Brook. The Seawolves ran the clock out on their second ranked win of the season, and first in league play.

“I’m so proud of the guys, they played so hard. These last four weeks, we’ve practiced so hard and we’re in these one-goal games. It comes down to play here or there, and we talked all week about finishing. We broke every huddle with ‘finish’ the entire week and every huddle in game today and our guys just made one more play and that was the key,” head coach Anthony Gilardi said postgame.

Up next, the team hits the road to face Delaware on Saturday, April 5. The Seawolves and Blue Hens are set for a noon start in Newark with the contest streaming live on FloCollege.

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

The Stony Brook baseball team fell behind early but cut its deficit to 3-2 after three innings of play, thanks to a two-run blast by Nico Azpilcueta. However, Northeastern went on to score 10 of the next 13 runs, ultimately securing a 13-5 victory on March 29.

Left-hander George Adams took the mound for Stony Brook. The freshman started strong, recording a strikeout to open the game. After issuing a walk, he bounced back with consecutive strikeouts to strand a runner at second base.

In the bottom of the first inning, Stony Brook got a hit from Doughty, and Northeastern committed two errors. However, the Huskies managed to keep the Seawolves scoreless by ending the inning with a fielder’s choice.Northeastern took the lead in the top of the second inning with a home run to center field, making it 1-0. Later in the inning, a two-RBI single extended their lead to 3-0 heading into the bottom half. The Seawolves went down in order to conclude the inning.

Adams returned for the third inning and retired the first two batters before allowing a two-out double. However, he escaped the inning with a groundout to shortstop, stranding a runner at second base.

The Seawolves responded in the bottom of the third when Goforth got things started with a one-out single. He was replaced at first base by Matthew Jackson after a fielder’s choice. Azpilcueta then launched a long home run over the center field fence, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

Northeastern responded with a four-run outburst in the top of the fourth, extending its lead to 7-2.

Stony Brook answered right back in the bottom of the fourth with two runs of its own. Luke Szepekbrought in Gell with a home run over the center field fence, making the score 7-4.

In the fifth inning, Ty Panariello allowed a two-out single and a stolen base but got the final batter to pop up to second base. The Seawolves went down in order in their half of the fifth.

The Huskies struck again in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs to extend their lead to 12-4.

Stony Brook responded in the bottom half of the inning by adding a run. Scott Gell started the rally with a one-out double. The Seawolves later put runners on the corners following a hit by Szepek. Miceli then delivered an RBI single, bringing home James Schaffer to make it 12-5.

In the top of the eighth inning, Northeastern added an insurance run with a home run to right field, increasing its lead to 13-5.

Matt Sgambati held the Huskies scoreless in the ninth inning, stranding a runner at second base.

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

The Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team dominated in all aspects of the game to secure a 20-5 victory over the Vermont Catamounts on March 26 at LaValle Stadium.

Defensively, Avery Hines notched a team-high five caused turnovers and four ground balls. In net, Natalia Altebrando got the start and notched four saves in the first half. Francesca Viteritti and Hannah Hudson split time in the second half, collecting a save apiece.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Seawolves took control of the game early with a 4-0 scoring run courtesy of Caporuscio, Alexandra Fusco, and Wilmoth. Vermont then responded with a pair of their own before Stony Brook tacked on another two as Caporuscio notched her fifth hat trick of the season.

Not unfamiliar to the Seawolves, the second quarter began with another run, this time with seven straight goals and a shutout of the Catamounts. Wilmoth would collect a hat trick of her own, the seventh multi-goal game of the season for the graduate transfer.

Stony Brook came out of the break right where they left off, scoring three straight within only five minutes of play. Vermont then responded with one of their own for their third of the contest.

The Seawolves exploded offensively outscoring the Catmounts 7-3 through the second half. After Vermont got another on the board, the Stony Brook squad proceeded to answer back with a trio of goals with a pair of firsts from Angela Beardsley and Roksana Debicka. Vermont scored their fifth and final goal of the game with only 53 seconds remaining as the Seawolves secured the dub and earned their seventh win of the season.

QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

The Stony Brook baseball team mounted a late comeback, trimming a five-run deficit to just one in the seventh inning, but Northeastern responded with five late runs to secure a 10-4 victory on March 28 at Joe Nathan Field.

Right-hander Eddie Smink got the start for the Seawolves and worked his way out of trouble early, stranding runners on the corners in the first after a strong throw from Luke Szepek cut down a baserunner at second to end the frame.

Matthew Jackson notched Stony Brook’s first hit of the afternoon with a double down the left-field line in the bottom half of the inning, but he was left stranded at second.

Northeastern struck first in the second inning, launching a solo homer to center field. Smink limited the damage, leaving two runners on base to end the frame.

After the Seawolves left a runner aboard in the bottom of the second, Smink bounced back with a perfect 1-2-3 third inning. He continued to deal in the fourth, working around a one-out single with a strikeout and a fielder’s choice to keep the game tight.

However, the Huskies broke through in the fifth, belting three home runs in the inning to take a 5-0 lead. Nicholas Rizzo entered in relief and induced a groundout to himself to end the inning.

Rizzo settled in, tossing a clean sixth inning, and the Seawolves followed with another scoreless frame. In the seventh, Rizzo worked around a baserunner to keep it a five-run game before Stony Brook’s offense came alive.

Nico Azpilcueta ignited the rally with a leadoff double off the right-field fence, followed by a walk from Chanz Doughty. Scott Gell delivered a clutch two-run double to cut the deficit to 5-2. After a Northeastern pitching change, Brett Davino lined an RBI single to make it 5-3, and Matt Miceli’sperfectly placed bunt single brought home Davino to make it a one-run game at 5-4.

The Huskies quickly responded, leading off the eighth with a home run and adding a sacrifice fly to push their lead to 7-4.

Stony Brook threatened again in the bottom of the eighth when Doughty drew a one-out walk and Davino ripped a double down the right-field line, putting runners on second and third. But Northeastern escaped the jam with a foul-out to maintain their three-run lead.

The Huskies tacked on three more runs in the ninth, sealing a 10-4 win.

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, Stony Brook baseball responded with five unanswered runs over the next two innings on their way to a dominant 10-3 victory over Iona on March 25 at Joe Nathan Field.

Matt Sgambati got the start for Stony Brook, allowing a run in the first inning after a two-out double to right field that put Iona ahead 1-0.

Ty Panariello entered in the top of the second inning and, after issuing a leadoff walk, retired the next three batters to keep the deficit at 1-0.

Stony Brook struck back in the second inning, scoring three runs to take a 3-1 lead. Chanz Doughtyled off with a walk, followed by Scott Gell getting hit by a pitch to put two runners on with one out. Chris Carson delivered an RBI single, bringing home Doughty. Carson later scored on a passed ball, and Evan Goforth added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead.

After Panariello tossed a 1-2-3 top of the third, the Seawolves added two more runs to make it 5-1. Nico Azpilcueta launched a home run over the left-field fence, and Matt Miceli followed with a single through the left side to extend the lead.

Iona cut into the deficit with a run in the top of the fourth, making it 5-2, but Stony Brook answered right back. Doughty knocked an RBI single to restore the four-run advantage.

Ryan Dieguez took the mound in the fifth inning, allowing a one-out hit-by-pitch before inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.

The Seawolves tacked on another run in the fifth to push their lead to 7-2. Carson led off with a walk, followed by back-to-back singles from Miceli and Goforth to load the bases. Miceli would later score on an Iona error, giving Stony Brook a five-run cushion.

Vincent Mariella pitched the top of the sixth, retiring the first two batters before issuing a walk, then securing the final out with a lineout to third base.

Iona led off the seventh inning with a home run to left field, trimming the deficit to 7-3. Stony Brook quickly responded with a bases-loaded walk drawn by Azpilcueta, pushing the lead back to five runs.

George Adams entered in the eighth and stranded a runner on second to keep the Seawolves in control. In the bottom half, Stony Brook added two more insurance runs. Doughty led off with a homer to left field, and Miceli brought in Nick Zampieron on a sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 10-3.

Erik Paulsen took the mound to close out the game in the ninth, retiring three of the four batters he faced and sealing the 10-3 victory with a groundout back to the mound.

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook softball took on the Charleston Cougars at University Field on March 23 and when it was all over, the Seawolves clinched a series win 5-4. Kyra McFarland capped off a perfect day at the dish with a walk-off homer. Down to their final out, the Cougars tied the game in the seventh, but it was McFarland’s heroics that ultimately decided the Sunday matinee on Long Island.

Crimson Rice made her second start of the weekend series on Sunday, starting her day with a 1-2-3 inning. Stony Brook’s offense put up three runs in the home half of the first. Alyssa Costello started things with a single through the middle, scoring on Mia Vannelli’s fielder’s choice. Emma Scheitinger plated a run on a single and a third run scored on a fielding error.  Rice worked around an error behind her to complete a second straight scoreless inning to start her Sunday.

After the Seawolves went down in order in the second, Charleston evened things at 3-3 with a three-run inning of its own. The Cougars loaded the bases with nobody out and pushed a pair of runs across before registering an out.

Gabrielle Maday entered in relief of Rice, who failed to record an out in the third and allowed the first five hitters to reach base. Maday allowed one inherited runner to score, but stranded a pair of runners to keep things tied. Stony Brook put runners in scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but could not capitalize on the opportunities.

Maday retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth, then worked around trouble to strand a pair of runners in scoring position in a tied game in the sixth.

Nicole Allen pinch hit to lead off the sixth, doubling down the left field line. Allen moved up 60 feet on a Kaiya Simpkins sacrifice bunt and then scored the go-ahead run on a Costello sacrifice fly.

Down to their final out, the Cougars tied things up on a Paradis double over Scheitinger’s head in right. Maday induced a grounder to limit the damage to one run and give her offense a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh.

McFarland did just that, slamming the second pitch she saw over the fence in center to walk it off.

“What a terrific ballgame. I think all around, all three parts of the game, our best game of the year,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said. “She’s a good hitter, she’s a fifth-year player. She works super hard in the weight room. She refused to lose there and that’s what you love to see out of a fifth-year veteran player,” Bryant added regarding McFarland’s walk-off homer.

The team hit the road for a mid-week doubleheader at Sacred Heart on March 25. The results were not available at press time but were posted online at www.tbrnewsmedia.com.

#2 Charlotte Wilmoth scored eight points for her team during Sunday's game. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook women’s lacrosse scored nine of the game’s final 10 goals to pick up its sixth win of the season, defeating the Delaware Blue Hens 16-8 in Newark, Del. on March 23. The Seawolves improve to 6-3 on the season and a perfect 2-0 in CAA action.

It was a team-effort for the Seawolves offensively as Charlotte Wilmoth led the Stony Brook squad with a season-high eight points on four goals and four assists, as Riley McDonald and Alexandra Fusco each tallied three goals. Molly LaForge and Casey Colbert notched a pair apiece, while Isabella Caporuscio and Olivia Schorr each scored one goal.

Defensively, Avery Hines collected a team-high four ground balls and four caused turnovers. In net, Natalia Altebrando continued her string of successful outings, making a career-high eight saves on the day with her third-straight contest with a .500 save percentage.

After a Delaware tally to start the game, A. Fusco notched a goal to tie it up early. The Blue Hens then got their second of the day as it became a back-and-forth affair with the Seawolves collecting a pair of goals for their first lead. Delaware answered with two of their own to take a 4-3 advantage into the second quarter.

Stony Brook scored four with Molly LaForge scoring her first of the season and Wilmoth collecting a quick hat trick with three straight. The Blue Hens’ Ella Rishko would score at the buzzer to bring Delaware back within one and the Seawolves led 7-6 at halftime.

The Blue Hens added another coming back from the break to level the score 7-all, as Stony Brook went on a 7-0 scoring run through almost 15 minutes of play to conclude the third quarter and continue into the fourth.

Delaware got one more on the board before a pair from the Seawolves to close out the Sunday matinee and secure their second CAA victory of the season.

The team heads back to Long Island to begin a three-game homestand on March 26.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

The Stony Brook baseball team overcame a 3-0 deficit heading into the sixth inning, rallying with six runs over the final four frames to secure a 6-3 victory over the Delaware Blue Hens in Newark, Del. on March 23. This win marks their first CAA victory of the season.

John Rizzo took the mound for Stony Brook, setting the tone early by striking out the first three batters of the game.Both teams managed a double in the second inning—Matthew Jackson for Stony Brook—but neither was able to push a run across.After a one-out single by Delaware in the bottom of the third, Luke Szepek delivered a clutch throw to erase the runner at second, followed by a lineout to end the inning.

The Blue Hens struck first, plating three runs on two hits in the bottom of the fourth.

Following a quick 1-2-3 fifth inning for both teams, Stony Brook ignited a comeback in the sixth, tying the game at 3-3. Evan Goforth sparked the rally with a double to left field, followed by walks from Johnny Pilla and Nico Azpilcueta to load the bases. Jackson came through in the clutch with a two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Goforth and Pilla. Szepek then drew a bases-loaded walk, allowing Azpilcueta to cross the plate and tie the game.

Nicholas Rizzo entered in the bottom of the sixth and worked out of a jam, stranding two Delaware runners with a flyout to end the inning.

In the seventh, Erik Paulsen delivered a game-changing moment, launching a home run into the right-field trees to give the Seawolves a 4-3 lead.

Jacob Pedersen took over on the mound in the seventh, striking out two batters with runners on base and stranding another in the eighth to preserve the lead.

Chris Carson led off the ninth with a double to right field and later scored on a Delaware error. Goforth added insurance with another double to left field, bringing home Matt Miceli and extending Stony Brook’s lead to 6-3.

Pedersen sealed the victory by stranding two more runners in the ninth, forcing a game-ending groundout.

Up next, the team returns home to Joe Nathan Field on April 1 to host Iona. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., with live streaming available on FloBaseball.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook men’s lacrosse dropped a highly contested, back-and-forth matchup at Towson on March 22, 13-12, in overtime. Freshman Brendan Marino led the Seawolves offensively, notching a season-high five goals.

Stony Brook came out of the gate hot, opening the game with back-to-back goals from Marino. Towson promptly responded with three straight goals to take a 3-2 lead with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter.

The Tigers’ lead was short-lived. Less than a minute later, Marino scored a goal to secure a first-quarter hat trick and even things at 3-3 heading into the second.

Towson regained momentum early in the second, opening the quarter with a pair of goals to take a 5-3 lead.

The Seawolves answered, closing the second quarter on a 4-2 run. Goals in the final minutes from Kian McCoy and Marino evened things at 7-7 heading into the half.

Richie Dechiaro scored a goal for Stony Brook early in the third quarter to open the second half scoring and take back the the lead for the Seawolves. Following that, Collin Williamson and Robbie Smith each netted two goals, extending the Stony Brook lead to 10-7 with 8:21 left in the third.

Towson scored two out of the following three goals as the Seawolves took an 11-9 advantage in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers scored the first two goals of the fourth to tie the game at 11-11 with 6:55 remaining in regulation. The Seawolves answered back just 34 seconds later with a goal by Justin Bonacci, making it 12-11 in favor of Stony Brook with 6:21 remaining in the fourth.

With just under three minutes to play in regulation, Towson found the back of the net to even things at 12-12 and eventually force overtime.

In sudden death with 3:15 to play, Towson’s Josh Webber buried the game-winner to walk it off for the Tigers.

The team will return to LaValle Stadium next Saturday, March 29 for a matchup against No. 15 Fairfield at noon.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

The Stony Brook baseball team jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage, but an eight-run outburst in the third inning by Delaware ultimately propelled the Blue Hens to an 8-1 victory in the series opener on March 21 in Newark, Delaware, marking the start of CAA play for the Seawolves

Erik Paulsen extended his on-base streak to all 19 games this season by recording a hit in the first inning. However, the Blue Hens turned a double play to end the top half of the frame.

Eddie Smink took the mound for Stony Brook, striking out the first batter he faced and stranding a runner to keep Delaware scoreless through one.

The Seawolves struck first in the second inning, as Nico Azpilcueta led off with a walk and Matthew Jackson followed with an RBI double to put Stony Brook ahead 1-0.

After Smink stranded a runner in the second, the Seawolves applied pressure again in the third, loading the bases with two outs, but they were unable to push another run across.

Delaware responded emphatically in the bottom of the third, plating eight runs behind two home runs to seize an 8-1 lead.

Nicholas Rizzo entered the game in relief for Stony Brook in the fourth and tossed a perfect 1-2-3 inning. He followed up in the fifth by stranding two runners, keeping the deficit at 8-1.

Ty Panariello took over in the sixth and struck out all three batters he faced. He continued his dominance by retiring the side in order in both the seventh and eighth innings.

Luke Szepek collected a one-out single in the seventh and advanced to second, but Delaware escaped the inning with a strikeout.

In the ninth, Szepek added another single, and Matt Miceli was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with two outs. However, the Blue Hens closed out the game with a flyout, securing the 8-1 win.