SBU Sports: Softball downed in high scoring regular-season finale at Drexel
In the highest scoring game of the season, Stony Brook softball came a single run short of erasing a nine-run deficit as the Seawolves were outslugged 18-17 in the regular-season finale at Drexel on May 3 in Philadelphia, PA. Emily Reinstein clubbed two home runs, including a grand slam, as she drove in over a third of the team’s runs.
Kyra McFarland led things off by reaching on an error before stealing second and coming around to score on another Drexel error as the center fielder dropped a fly ball off the bat of Nicole Allen. Allen would be immediately brought in for the second unearned run of the inning on a single up the middle from Mia Vanelli.
After another error loaded up the bases with one out in the top of the first, Reinstein came through with the biggest hit of the day as she crushed a 1-1 pitch to left center for a towering grand slam to make it 6-0 Seawolves.
The Dragons quickly responded with a massive inning of their own, wiping away the six-run deficit by putting up a 12 spot in the bottom of the first. Nine batters would reach safely before Stony Brook recorded an out by Crimson Rice, who was brought in to relieve Gabrielle Maday after the first five runs were plated.
Drexel grew its lead to 15-6 in the bottom of the second as a lead-off error ultimately led to three unearned runs coming home. Maddie Male was brought in with two outs to stop the Dragons’ rally and induced a popup to finish off the inning.
The Seawolves got four runs back in the third as Emma Scheitinger led off the inning with a bunt single and later came around to score on a single from Malorie Hill. After a sac fly from Naiah Ackerman made it 15-8, Allen brought home two more on a single to center that was booted by the center fielder for the fourth Dragon error of the day.
The Dragons responded again in the bottom of the inning to make it an eight-run game off a three-run home run from Kylah Reading. Maday re-entered the game following the home run to get the final out of the inning. Reinstein made it 18-12 in the top of the fourth as she sent another one over the left field wall for her second home run of the day.
After a scoreless fifth, Ackerman came through with the third Stony Brook home run of the day as she went to the opposite field for a two-out, two-run blast to cut Drexel’s lead to 18-14 in the sixth.
Down by four in the top of the seventh, the Seawolves took advantage of a couple of walks to load the bases with one out. Scheitinger nearly tied it up with a single swing, but the center fielder managed to knock down the ball at the top of the wall to hold her to a two-run single. Drexel proceeded to commit its fifth error of the day on a grounder from Hill to make it a one-run game with two outs and a runner on third. That was as close as Stony Brook would get, however, as the Dragons got one final popup to close things out.
The team will enter the 2025 CAA Championship as the No. 5 seed, playing the host and fourth-seeded Campbell in the opening game of the tournament on May 7.
