May 9, 2009
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook's softball team's season came to a close on Saturday as they lost to Albany, 4-1, in the losers' bracket of the America East Softball Championship. Having lost to Boston University on Friday, the loss knocked the Seawolves out of the double-elimination tournament. Senior Kelly Oberto (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) knocked in Stony Brook's run with a solo homer in the second inning. SBU's record-breaking season comes to an end with a final record of 36-14 (15-5 America East).
Junior Vicki Kavitsky (Cherry Hill, N.J.) got the Seawolves off to a promising start as she led the game off with a double off the right field wall. A sacrifice bunt moved her to third, but Albany's starting pitcher, Leah McIntosh, recorded back-to-back strikeouts to keep SBU off the board.
Stony Brook would not be held scoreless for much longer, though, as Oberto opened the second inning off with a shot over the right center field fence. Oberto's homer came in a 12-pitch at-bat in which she fouled off five straight pitches before taking McIntosh deep.
Albany would even things up one inning later as the conference's Co-Player of the Year, Meagen Butsch, lined an RBI single to right. Butsch would be intentionally walked in her next at-bat in the fifth inning, but Gina Mason crushed a three-run homer to center to give Albany a 4-1 advantage.
Marissa Powell, who came in relief of McIntosh in the fifth, allowed only one Seawolf to reach base in the final three innings as Albany held on for the win. With the win the Great Danes advanced to the Championship final where they will play Boston University.
