Wilmington, N.C. - Sophomore Tyler Johnson (Chatsworth, Calif.) allowed just two runs in 7.1 innings and struck out 10 to lead the Stony Brook University baseball team to a 3-2 win over the Akron Zips in its 2010 season opener on Saturday morning at Brooks Field. Stony Brook defeated UNC-Wilmington, 6-2, in its second game of the day behind three hits and three RBI from senior Rob Dyer (Selden, N.Y.). With the win over Akron, Stony Brook head coach Matt Senk became the first coach in program history and the third in America East history to win 500 games.
The all-time wins leader in Stony Brook baseball history, Senk has enjoyed 17 winning seasons with SBU and has won 30 or more games seven times. He has compiled a 298-231 record and two America East tournament titles since the Seawolves move to Division I in 2000.
Stony Brook jumped on top in the second against the Zips as freshman Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ontario), in his first collegiate at-bat, drilled a homer to center with two outs. Johnson cruised early on as he retired the first 12 Akron batters, five by strikeout.
Junior Stephen Marino (Lake Grove, N.Y.) pushed the Seawolves lead to 2-0 in the fifth as he led off the inning with a home run to left. Johnson allowed his first base runner in the fifth as Kyle Hallet doubled to start the inning. But Johnson then picked Hallet off and retired the next two hitters on a strike out and a ground out to keep the Zips off the board.
The Seawolves picked up another run in the seventh as sophomore Sal Intagliata (Franklin Square, N.Y.) walked with one out and then moved to second on a single from senior Justin Echevarria (Uniondale, N.Y.) Senior Chris Maier (Farmingdale, N.Y.) followed with a run-scoring single to put SBU on top 3-0.
Akron finally got on the board in the eighth as Johnson hit Brian Kordal and then gave up a two-run home run to Brandon White. But freshman Jasvir Rakkar (Brampton, Ontario) then entered the game and retired the next two hitters to get out of the jam.
Freshman William Carmona (Hempstead, N.Y.) entered the game in ninth for the Seawolves and retired the side in order to secure Senk's 500th win. Johnson allowed just two hits in his 7.1 innings and did not walk a batter.
UNC-Wilmington grabbed the early lead over SBU in the second game of the day as Andrew Cain hit a solo home run with two outs in the fourth against sophomore starter Nick Tropeano (West Islip, N.Y.). But Stony Brook rallied to take the lead in the fifth on run-scoring singles from senior Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.) and Dyer.
The Seawolves tacked on two more in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from junior Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) and an RBI double from sophomore Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.). SBU put the game away with two more runs in the eighth on a two-out two-run double off the bat of Dyer.
Tropeano picked up the win for Stony Brook as he allowed two runs on four hits in 7.1 innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked just two. Freshman Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ontario) recorded three hits for the Seawolves.
Stony Brook will play two more games on Sunday at Brooks Field, taking on Akron at 10 a.m. before squaring off against UNC-Wilmington at 1:30 p.m.
The all-time wins leader in Stony Brook baseball history, Senk has enjoyed 17 winning seasons with SBU and has won 30 or more games seven times. He has compiled a 298-231 record and two America East tournament titles since the Seawolves move to Division I in 2000.
Stony Brook jumped on top in the second against the Zips as freshman Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ontario), in his first collegiate at-bat, drilled a homer to center with two outs. Johnson cruised early on as he retired the first 12 Akron batters, five by strikeout.
Junior Stephen Marino (Lake Grove, N.Y.) pushed the Seawolves lead to 2-0 in the fifth as he led off the inning with a home run to left. Johnson allowed his first base runner in the fifth as Kyle Hallet doubled to start the inning. But Johnson then picked Hallet off and retired the next two hitters on a strike out and a ground out to keep the Zips off the board.
The Seawolves picked up another run in the seventh as sophomore Sal Intagliata (Franklin Square, N.Y.) walked with one out and then moved to second on a single from senior Justin Echevarria (Uniondale, N.Y.) Senior Chris Maier (Farmingdale, N.Y.) followed with a run-scoring single to put SBU on top 3-0.
Akron finally got on the board in the eighth as Johnson hit Brian Kordal and then gave up a two-run home run to Brandon White. But freshman Jasvir Rakkar (Brampton, Ontario) then entered the game and retired the next two hitters to get out of the jam.
Freshman William Carmona (Hempstead, N.Y.) entered the game in ninth for the Seawolves and retired the side in order to secure Senk's 500th win. Johnson allowed just two hits in his 7.1 innings and did not walk a batter.
UNC-Wilmington grabbed the early lead over SBU in the second game of the day as Andrew Cain hit a solo home run with two outs in the fourth against sophomore starter Nick Tropeano (West Islip, N.Y.). But Stony Brook rallied to take the lead in the fifth on run-scoring singles from senior Michael Stephan (Patchogue, N.Y.) and Dyer.
The Seawolves tacked on two more in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from junior Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) and an RBI double from sophomore Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.). SBU put the game away with two more runs in the eighth on a two-out two-run double off the bat of Dyer.
Tropeano picked up the win for Stony Brook as he allowed two runs on four hits in 7.1 innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked just two. Freshman Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ontario) recorded three hits for the Seawolves.
Stony Brook will play two more games on Sunday at Brooks Field, taking on Akron at 10 a.m. before squaring off against UNC-Wilmington at 1:30 p.m.
