Baseball Suffers Sweep At Stony Brook
BOX SCORE
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Falling 7-3 at Joe Nathan Stadium on Sunday, the University at Albany baseball team suffered an America East Conference series sweep to the hosting Stony Brook Seawolves. After UAlbany tied it up in the seventh inning, Stony Brook scored four unanswered run in their final two at-bats, improving the Seawolves record to 9-9 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Great Danes fell to 4-11 on the season and 2-4 in the America East.
UAlbany totaled eight hits in the contest, led by junior Craig Lepre’s 2-for-4 performance at the plate with two runs scored. Senior D.J. Hoagboon also went 2-for-4, while sophomore Evan Harasta (1-3) led the squad with two runs batted in.
On the hill, Matt Gallup (1-1) took the loss, throwing 6.1 innings, allowing four runs and six hits, while striking out five. In relief, Sam DeCelle, Ryan Stinar, and Andrew Veiga made appearances in the final two frames.
Stony Brook took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, as Johnny Caputo, Toby Handley, and Joshua Mason strung together three consecutive singles with two outs.
The Seawolves looked to stretch their lead in the third, but Gallup battled his way out of a bases load jam to take the Great Danes into the fourth unharmed.
UAlbany broke onto the board in the top of the fifth, sparked by Lepre and Charlie Peltz’s back-to-back singles to start the inning off. Jeff VonMoser laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving both runners into scoring position, and Alex Lushkevich pulled through with an RBI single to centerfield.
In the bottom of the sixth, SBU’s Michael Roehrig lined a leadoff triple to left center, and Caputo brought him in with an RBI groundout to short, making the score 3-1.
However, the Great Danes answered back immediately in the top of the seventh, tying the ballgame, 3-3. Lepre started the rally again with a leadoff single to right center. VonMoser reached on a hit by pitch, and Brian Bullard walked with two outs, setting up Harasta’s bases loaded single to right center, plating two.
Unfortunately, that would be the Great Danes’ final run of the game, as Stony Brook scored two runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. In the seventh, Chavarria led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before DeCelle relieved Gallup on the mound. After the change, Kevin Courtney doubled and Cole Peragine lined an RBI single through the right side, taking the lead for good. After another call to the bullpen, Stinar issued a bases loaded walk, giving Stony Brook a 5-3 advantage.
The Seawolves stretched the margin to four in the eighth, as Parenty led off with a walk, Chavarria singled to center and Kevin Krause brought in one with a sac fly to centerfield. Peragine capped the inning with an RBI triple to left centerfield, plating one after an appeal at third base.
On the mound for Stony Brook, middle reliever Tyler Honahan (3-0) earned the win, throwing the sixth and seventh innings. He allowed two runs and two hits, while striking out two in his appearance. Cameron Stone earned the save, tossing the final two frames, holding UAlbany to one hit and no runs, striking out four. Starter Ryley MacEachern did not earn a decision despite throwing the first five innings, allowing one run and five hits, while recording four strikeouts.
Offensively, Courtney led the Seawolves with three hits and a run scored.
Up next, the Great Danes are slated to face Cornell for two on Tuesday.
