CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- For the first time ever, America East is sending a baseball team to the NCAA Super Regionals as Stony Brook capped off its incredible weekend with a 10-6 win over Central Florida in the Coral Gables Regional final at University of Miami's Alex Rodriguez Park Monday evening.
The Seawolves, just the third No. 4 seed to advance to the round of 16 since the NCAA changed its format in 1999, will face seventh-seeded LSU next weekend in a best-of-three set in Baton Rouge this weekend with a trip to the College World Series on the line.
On Monday, Stony Brook (50-12) fell behind 3-0 to UCF, but has it has all tournament, overcame that deficit with a big inning, scoring five times in the fourth. William Carmona, who had four hits in the game, delivered the big blow, a two-run double down the left field line, which tied the game at 3-3. Maxx Tissenbaum followed with a safety squeeze, which plated to go-ahead run and Kevin Krause delivered an RBI since to give SBU a 5-3 lead after four.
The Seawolves, who joined Missouri (2006) and Fresno State (2008) as No. 4 seeds to win regional rounds, would tack on five more over the three innings, capped by a long solo homer to right by Carmona and their pitching would do the rest. Going on just two days rest, act Tyler Johnson, the America East Pitcher of the Year, threw 119 pitches over 6 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out five. Joshua Mason finished it off by allowing just two runs over 2 2/3 and retired the last six batters he faced to seal the win.
Stony Brook put on an offensive clinic in the regional, scoring 50 runs in its five games, which included two wins over Central Florida and victories over host Miami and Missouri State. The Seawolves, who have the most wins in the nation, beat the Hurricanes, 10-2, in their opener before dropping a 9-8 heartbreaker to Central Florida on Saturday. But SBU, winner of 26 of its last 28, responded with three straight wins, 10-7 over Missouri State and 12-5 over UCF Sunday, before capturing the region with tonight's win.
NCAA Coral Gables, Fla. Regional
Friday, June 1
Game 1: #2 UCF 2, #3 Missouri State 1 -- Box Score | UCF Transcript | UCF Postgame Video | UCF Notes | Missouri State Transcript | Missouri State Postgame Video | Missouri State Notes
Game 2: #4 Stony Brook 10, #1 Miami 2 -- Box Score l Miami Transcript | Miami Postgame Video l Stony Brook Transcript | Stony Brook Postgame Video
Saturday, June 2
Game 3: Missouri State 12, Miami 2 (Miami eliminated) -- Box Score | Miami Transcript | Miami Postgame Video l Missouri State Transcript | Missouri State Postgame Video Part 1 | Part 2 | Missouri State Notes
Game 4: UCF 9, Stony Brook 8 -- Box Score | UCF Transcript | UCF Postgame Video | Stony Brook Transcript | Stony Brook Postgame Video
Sunday, June 3
Game 5: Stony Brook 10, Missouri State 7 (Missouri State eliminated) -- Box Score | Missouri State Transcript | Missouri State Postgame Video | Stony Brook Transcript | Stony Brook Postgame Video
Game 6: Stony Brook 12, UCF 5 -- Box Score | UCF Transcript | UCF Postgame Video | Stony Brook Transcript | Stony Brook Postgame Video
Monday, June 4
Game 7 : Stony Brook 10, UCF 6 (UCF eliminated) -- Box Score | UCF Transcript | UCF Postgame Video | Stony Brook Transcript | Stony Brook Postgame Video