SBU Sports: Baseball soars in home opener with victory over Niagara

Erik Paulsen racked up four hits, and Matthew Jackson tallied three hits with five RBI to help power the Stony Brook Seawolves over the Niagara Purple Eagles, 15-7, on March 7 in their home opener.

George Adams (2-1) earned the win out of the bullpen for Stony Brook (5-6). The left-hander delivered 3.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits, walking one, and striking out six.
Paulsen led the Seawolves’ offensive surge with four hits, including a double and two RBI. Jackson had a standout day at the plate as well, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, and five RBI. Junior Chanz Doughtyalso contributed with two hits in three at-bats, adding a double, a walk, and three RBI.

Stony Brook jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Paulsen doubled to right field and scored on a single from Johnny Pilla. Doughty later brought home Pilla on a sacrifice fly.Niagara responded in the top of the second with a six-run inning, highlighted by a grand slam.

The Seawolves began to chip away in the bottom half of the second when Chris Carson reached on a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a sac fly, and scored on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

Right-hander Eddie Smink settled in over the next three innings, holding Niagara hitless and preventing any runners from reaching second base in the third, fourth, and fifth frames.

Paulsen sparked a rally in the fifth with a leadoff single. After Nico Azpilcueta moved him to third with a base hit, Doughty drove in Paulsen with an RBI single. Jackson followed with a towering three-run homer to right field, giving Stony Brook a 7-6 lead.

After Niagara tied the game in the sixth, the Seawolves answered with a five-run inning. Doughty drew an RBI walk, Jackson brought home Pilla with an RBI single, and a Niagara error allowed two more runs to score. Paulsen was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, capping off the big inning and giving Stony Brook a 12-7 lead.

Adams took the mound and stranded a runner at second in his first full inning of work in the seventh.

The Seawolves kept the momentum going in the bottom of the seventh. Doughty laced a one-out double and scored on an RBI single from Jackson. Jackson then came home on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 14-7.

Adams delivered in the eighth, striking out three straight batters to escape a jam with runners on the corners.

Paulsen added the finishing touch in the bottom of the eighth, driving in Evan Goforth with an RBI single after Goforth led off with a double.

Adams sealed the win by retiring the final three batters in order in the ninth, securing the 15-7 victory at Joe Nathan Field.