Endicott, N.Y. - Senior Michael Tansey (Valley Stream, N.Y.) went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI but it wasn't enough as the Vermont Catamounts used a six-run eighth to rally for a 13-11 win over the Stony Brook University baseball team in a 2009 America East tournament loser's bracket game this afternoon at Pete Sylvester Field. The Seawolves are eliminated from the four-team double-elimination tournament with the loss and conclude their season with a record of 29-23.
The Seawolves entered the bottom of the sixth trailing 7-5 but Tansey led of the sixth with a solo home run to left field to cut the UVM lead to 7-6. Stony Brook grabbed the lead in the seventh, striking for four runs. Senior Steven Mazzurco (Selden, N.Y.) tied the game with a two-out RBI double and Tansey then followed with a two-run blast to left. Senior Chad Rebecca (Mount Prosepct, Ill.) drove in the final run of the frame with a run-scoring single to center.
But Vermont answered with the six-run eighth to take a 13-10 lead. Mark Micowski drove in the first two runs of the inning with a two-run triple and then scored the tying run on a check-swing infield RBI single from Tom Jackson. UVM then took the lead on two-run triple to right-center field from Ethan Paquette. Paquette then came home with the final score of the inning on an RBI single from Tom Kelly.
The Seawolves cut the UVM lead to 13-11 in the bottom of the eighth as sophomore Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) singled to lead off and advanced to second on a throwing error by Vermont third baseman Dave Soltis. Marshall then came home when Soltis misplayed sophomore Nick Thode's(Huntington Station, N.Y.) ground ball.
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SBU put runners on first and second to start the ninth before Rebecca bunted into fielder's choice, with the Catamounts getting the lead runner at third. Kelly, who came into pitch in the seventh, then struck out senior Brian Witkowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) and got Marshall to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Rebecca tallied three hits on the day for the Seawolves and Marshall went 4-for-6 with an RBI and three runs scored. Paquette led Vermont with three hits and three RBI. Kelly picked up the victory for Vermont, allowing just an unearned run in 2.1 innings of work.
Vermont jumped to the early lead as Justin Milo led off the second with a home run to left. The Catamounts threatened for more in the inning, putting runners on first and second with one out. But freshman Tyler Johnson (Chatsworth, Calif.) then got Brad Currier to ground into a fielder's choice before striking out Soltis to end the threat.
But the Seawolves rallied in the third, striking for four runs. Rebecca reached on an infield single with one out and later came around to score when Marshall dumped an RBI single just in front of the then left fielder Kelly.
Thode then reached on an error by UVM shortstop Matt Duffy and junior Robert Dyer (Selden, N.Y.) followed with a three-run blast to left-center to give the Seawolves a 4-1 lead. The Catamounts responded with a run in the fourth on a one-out run-scoring triple from Kelly. Johnson prevented Kelly from scoring though as he struck out Mike McCarthy and got Currier to pop out to third.
The Seawolves pushed their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from sophomore Stephen Marino (Lake Grove, N.Y.). But Vermont answered with four runs in the fifth to grab a 6-5 lead. Matt Duffy drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI single and Milo then tied the game at 5-5 with a two-run triple.
Paquette followed with an RBI single through the left side to put UVM on top, 6-5. Johnson hit the next two hitters to load the bases for Vermont with one out but senior relieverJonathan Kalkau (Bellmore, N.Y.) then came in and got Currier to ground into a double play to get the Seawolves out of the jam. Vermont pushed the lead to 7-5 in the sixth on a run-scoring double from Duffy.
