Stony Brook used a three-run sixth to break a 3-3 tie and defeat Maine, 6-3, at the America East Baseball Championship at Centennial Field. The Seawolves advance to Saturday’s championship for the first time with the win.
With the score still tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Stony Brook (32-20) manufactured a three-run inning. Andrew Larsen led off with a single to left, and, after an out, David Wood walked. Cole Cicatelli drove home Larsen with a single, and after a double steal, Lee Lipschutz connected on a single to center to bring home Wood and Cicatelli for the 6-3 lead.
In the top of the eighth, Maine put runners on first and second with no outs, prompting Stony Brook to bring in Kevin Fitzgerald from the pen. Fitzgerald closed the door for the Seawolves, retiring all six batters he faced, four by strikeout, to end the game for his third save of the season.
Stony Brook took an early, 1-0, lead in the bottom of the first, plating a run on back-to-back doubles by Larsen and Matt Devins.
The Black Bears (38-18) evened the score in the top of the second, as Ryan Quintal reached on an infield single, and came all the way around to score when the Stony Brook shortstop threw the ball away on a ball hit to him off the bat of Jesse Carlton.
In the top of the fourth, Maine took a 3-1 lead on a Quintal two-run home run down the right field line, chasing home Joe Drapeau.
The Seawolves knotted the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth. After a walk to Larsen, Wood was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. After a wild pitch moved each runner up a base, Cicatelli hit a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Larsen. Mike Russo followed with a single to right, bringing home Wood with the tying run.
Paul Carufe (3-1) earned the win for Stony Brook, striking out six over seven innings of work, allowing three runs, two earned. Ryan Harris (4-3) took the loss for Maine, pitching six-plus innings, striking out seven.
Stony Brook advances to the championship round to meet Northeastern. Due to impending inclement weather, the start time of Saturday’s championship game has been moved from 12 noon to 10 a.m. This is the first time in America East Championship history that the No. 3 seed (Stony Brook) and No. 4 seed (Northeastern) have met in the championship round.
America East Baseball Championship
at Centennial Field, Burlington, Vt.
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Game 1-- No. 3 Stony Brook 4, No. 2 Maine 2
Game 2?No. 4 Northeastern, 2, No. 1 Vermont 1
Friday, May 23, 2003
Game 3?Maine 5, Vermont 1
Game 4?Northeastern 5, Stony Brook 4
Game 5?Stony Brook 6, Maine 3
Saturday, May 24, 2003
Game 6?Northeastern vs. Stony Brook, 10 a.m.
Game 7?same teams (if necessary) , to follow