Stony Brook softball erased a deficit for a second straight day, clinching a series victory on the opening weekend of conference play on March 9 in Maryland. The Seawolves trailed 7-1 in the fifth, scoring seven times and holding off the Tigers to complete another come-from-behind victory.

Following a scoreless first inning, Stony Brook started the scoring in the second frame. Emma Scheitinger singled and later came around to score the first run of the game on an Emily Reinstein single to center field.

Towson responded in the home half of the second, pushing two across against Stony Brook starter Madelaine Male. The Seawolves cut down a potential third run in the inning at the plate after a wild pitch.

The Tigers tacked on three more runs in the third inning and then two more in the fourth to construct a 7-1 lead heading to the fifth frame.

Naiah Ackerman led off the fifth with a triple, scoring on a Madelyn Stepski single through the left side of the infield. Stepski then came around to score courtesy of Scheitinger.

Ackerman contributed again to Stony Brook’s comeback with a two-run homer in the sixth, making it a two-run contest.

Gabrielle Maday, who entered in relief to get the final out of the fourth inning, tossed a pair of 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth to stymie Towson.

Down to its final two outs in the game, the Seawolves officially erased the six-run deficit and tied the contest after run-scoring singles by Marissa Thalassinos and Kyra Mc arland.

With two outs in the seventh, Stepski plated a run after reaching on a fielding error by Towson’s infield.

Maday set down the side in order in the seventh, slamming the door shut on Stony Brook’s second comeback win in as many days against Towson.
“It was great to see us battle today, work together and take the series. We refused to lose this ballgame and that’s key to our continued improvement as a team,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said postgame. “Everyone wants to win, but digging down and finding a way to win is a separator.”

The team returns to action next weekend, continuing conference play at Delaware. The three-game series begins on Friday, March 14, with first pitch set for 5 pm from the Delaware Softball Diamond.

Stony Brook softball came from behind to upend Towson and nab its first conference victory of the season on March 8 in Maryland. The Seawolves scored five runs in the fifth inning, capped off by a Marissa Thalassinos go-ahead double, to beat the Tigers.

Mia Vannelli started the scoring on Saturday, singling up the middle and plating two runs in the top of the first.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, Crimson Rice ran into trouble in the second. After a leadoff homer, Towson loaded the bases with one out. After striking out the next hitter, Rice allowed a walk and a two-run single that gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead.

Jordyn Fray entered in relief of Rice, escaping the jam with the help of an outfield assist from Alyssa Costello. Fray worked out of trouble in the third, stranding the bases loaded to keep Towson off the board again.

Small ball helped Stony Brook score in the third, with Emma Scheitinger singling, advancing to third after a sacrifice and a ground out and then scoring on a wild pitch.

The Tigers got to Fray in the fourth, scoring twice to push their lead to four runs and chasing Stony Brook’s reliever. Maday entered and stranded the two runners she inherited.

A walk and a double pushed a run across for Stony Brook to start the fifth. A Scheitinger groundout scored another run but was the second out of the frame. The Seawolves scored three more runs, all with two outs, courtesy of base hits by Malorie Hill, Emily Reinstein and Thalassinos.

Maday worked around a leadoff single and double, getting two quick outs. Despite walking the next batter to load the bases, Maday got a strikeout looking to maintain the lead.

Maday allowed a single baserunner in the sixth and seventh innings, but closed the door and completed Stony Brook’s come-from-behind win.

“It was great to see us respond after yesterday and I’m proud of our team. Everyone in the lineup contributed offensively and Gabby was outstanding in the circle to close it out,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said. “We fought hard to win this game and that’s important heading into tomorrow.”

The Stony Brook softball team fell to Towson, 6-2, in its CAA opener on March 7 in Maryland.

Stony Brook opened the scoring with an RBI single by Madelyn Stepski in the top of the first.

The Seawolves loaded the bases in the first but could not plate any additional runs.

After its first two batters were retired, Towson scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning via back-to-back homers. Briyana Wright put the Tigers on the board with a three-run homer, followed by a solo shot from Grace Franczyk.

Towson tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third following an RBI single and a throwing error by Stony Brook.

Stepski came around to score in the top of the fifth following a dropped fly ball and error by the Tigers.

The Seawolves left four runners on base through the game’s final three innings, falling 6-2 to Towson in game one of the series.

“Not the start we wanted to this series. We have a couple good take-a-ways from the game however, and will look to build off those and improve in a few areas,” head coach Megan T. Bryant noted postgame. “Number one is being better with runners on base. We left way too many on today.”

Stony Brook softball fell in a pair of neutral site contests against Mercer and Illinois on day one of the Roar City Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee on Feb. 14.

GAME ONE: MERCER 9, STONY BROOK 6

Gabrielle Maday drew the start in the circle for game one, stranding a pair of runners to toss a scoreless first inning.

Madelyn Stepski and Alyssa Costello reached base in the first inning for Stony Brook, but were left on base.

Mercer opened the scoring in the second inning, pushing a run across with a two-out single. The Bears first two runners reached base, but a line-drive double play neutralized the early threat. A stolen base and single with two outs put Stony Brook in a 1-0 hole, but Maday stranded two more runners to limit the damage.

After the Seawolves were retired in order in the second, Mercer added four more runs in the third.

Jordyn Fray took to the circle to start the fourth inning, tossing a clean inning.

Stony Brook got on the board in the fourth courtesy of a Mia Vannelli run-scoring single, adding another on an Emily Reinstein ground out.

The Seawolves trimmed the deficit further, making it a 5-3 game after Emma Scheitinger plated a run on a fielder’s choice in the fifth.

Mercer got two runs back in the sixth inning, chasing Fray from the game. Crimson Rice finished the inning for Stony Brook, leaving a pair of inherited runners on the bases.

Stony Brook did not go quietly, adding three runs in the home half of the sixth to make it a one-run game. Marissa Thalassinos pushed a run across on a two-out, infield single and Kyra McFarland followed with a two-run double. McFarland represented the tying run, moving up to third base on the throw, but was stranded there to end the frame.

Mercer tacked on two more runs, both with two outs, and ultimately closed out the 9-6 victory, despite Stony Brook’s resilience offensively. The Seawolves brought Naiah Ackerman to the plate in the final frame, but came up just short.

GAME TWO: ILLINOIS 8, STONY BROOK 0 (5 INNINGS)

The Fighting Illini jumped all over Stony Brook, scoring seven runs in the first inning.

Illinois scored seven runs on four hits and were aided by a pair of Stony Brook miscues in the field.

The Seawolves registered just three hits in the five-inning contest, with two of them coming in the second inning. Reinstein and Thalassinos reached base in the frame, but were stranded in scoring position.

Fray relieved Maddie Male in the second inning, throwing a pair of scoreless innings before conceding a run in the fourth.

The Seawolves went down in order in the fifth to enact the run rule.

“Tough day for us against two very good teams. It was disappointing that we didn’t play better,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said. “It takes what it takes, and we need to be better in all three parts of our game.”

UP NEXT
Feb. 15 games at the Roar City Invitational have been canceled. Stony Brook will return to action on Feb. 16.

Stony Brook softball suffered a pair of shutout defeats on Feb. 10, falling 12-0 in the first game to FIU and 9-0 to Ohio State in the second game.

Stony Brook dropped to 1-3 overall for the season and the weekend.

GAME 1: FIU 12, STONY BROOK 0 (5 innings)

• A two-out double gave FIU a 1-0 lead after an inning.
• A bunt single and error gave FIU a 2-0 lead, and the Panthers tacked on two more on a single to center for a 4-0 lead after two.
• With the bases loaded, a double to left field plated two more for FIU, as the Panthers extended the lead to 6-0.
• The Panthers tacked on six more in the fourth, first on a three-run home run followed by a two-run double and an RBI single later in the inning.

GAME 2: OHIO STATE 9, STONY BROOK 0 (6 innings)

• Ohio State got runners on first and third with one out in the second, before scratching across a run with a sacrifice fly.
• With two on and one out, Church homered to centered for a 4-0 OSU lead. Later on in the same inning, a bases-loaded walk tacked on another run for the Buckeyes.
• A pair of walks and a fielding error loaded the bases for the Seawolves in the sixth, but SBU was unable to capitalize.
• A fielding error and a three-run double finished off the scoring in the bottom of the sixth.
• Ohio State pitcher Emily Ruck recorded a no-hitter.

“We played a better ball game in game two, although the results were not what we wanted. We have the opportunity to improve again tomorrow and finish this weekend strong,” said head coach Megan Bryant.