The Stony Brook baseball team opened its weekend series in Chapel Hill, N.C. against No. 5 North Carolina, falling 16-2 in the opener on Feb. 28 at Boshamer Stadium.
After Stony Brook went down in order to start the game, Eddie Smink took the mound for his third start of the season. UNC struck first with an RBI single in the opening inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
Niko Azpilcueta recorded the Seawolves’ first hit of the game in the second inning but was left stranded at first to end the frame.
The Tar Heels extended their lead to 3-0 in the second, adding two runs on a solo home run and an RBI double.
With two outs in the third, Stony Brook threatened when Erik Paulsen was hit by a pitch and Evan Goforthfollowed with a base hit. However, UNC escaped the jam with a strikeout to maintain its 3-0 advantage.
Smink allowed a leadoff double in the bottom of the third but kept the runner from scoring, retiring the next three batters on a lineout and back-to-back flyouts.
Matt Sgambati entered the game in the fourth with one out but surrendered four runs before Alex Jankowskitook over to finish the inning. Jankowski retired the final batter on a flyout, sending the game to the fifth with Stony Brook trailing 8-0.
Alex Jankowski struck out the first batter in the bottom of the fifth, but three consecutive UNC hitters reached base, loading the bases with one out. Ty Panariello relieved Jankowski and induced an inning-ending double play to keep the score at 8-0.
Panariello continued his strong outing in the sixth, working around a one-out single by forcing another groundball double play.
Stony Brook broke through in the seventh. Chanz Doughty led off with a base hit, and Matt Jackson followed with a double, putting runners in scoring position. Nick Zampieron then drove in the Seawolves’ first run with an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 8-1. Panariello returned for the bottom half and held the Tar Heels scoreless.
UNC erupted for eight runs in the eighth inning. Stony Brook responded with a run in the ninth when Kincaid Bergthold doubled to bring home Brett Davino, but the Tar Heels secured the 16-2 victory.
